Modular application software for telecommunications exchanges for providing all end user services traffic handling and charging requirements of an applications type

ABSTRACT

A software architecture for use in program controlled telecommunications switching exchanges in which application modules are employed to provide services to users of a particular communications application. Resource modules provide specific functional elements of communications services to the application modules by having access to and control over the exchange hardware. Network protocols provide communication between the application modules within the exchange and interfaces provide communications between the resource modules and between application modules and resource modules within the exchange.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/250,337,filed May 26, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,973 which is a Continuationof application Ser. No. 07/723,166, filed Jun. 28, 1991 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to telecommunications exchanges and, moreparticularly, to a software architecture for use in a stored programcontrolled telecommunications switching system.

2. History of the Prior Art

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, stored program control (SPC)switching systems were designed primarily around the functions necessaryto perform public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) service,that is plain old telephone service (POTS). The SPC telecommunicationsswitches used to render these PSTN services were virtually all designedwith a control architecture which separates the parts of the system intofunctional blocks, each of which perform a separate function in thecompletion of a call. For example, there are control blocks within atraffic control subsystem of the software which perform digit analysis,route analysis, call supervision, signalling, etc. Each software blockperforms a certain control function or supervision function within thehardware which contributes to subscriber call setup, supervision,teardown and billing.

Over the years, other special features were added to the POTS services,such as abbreviated dialing, call waiting, and the like, which requiredthe addition of software to the core SPC software operating the switchin order to render these special services.

Stored program control telecommunications switches have evolved over theyears into very sophisticated, special purpose, high speed computingmachines which include redundant central processors for reliability andremote processors for increased speed and efficiency. A good example ofsuch a switch is the SPC telecommunications switching equipment of thetype manufactured by Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson and referred to asthe AXE exchange, an earlier version of which is disclosed in thearticle by Mats Eklund, et al., entitled "AXE 10 System Description,"published in Ericsson Review, No. 2, 1976, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference. Another example of such an SPC telecommunicationsswitch is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,843 to H. J. Beuscher, et al.Such switches usually include all of the hardware necessary to perform anumber of different telecommunications services. For example, they canbe used as local PSTN exchanges, long distance trunking exchanges,private automatic branch exchanges (PABX), all primarily by theinstallation of specific SPC software to configure them for the requiredspecial functions.

As telecommunications services became more sophisticated over the years,new applications for telecommunications exchanges came into existencewhich required additional special functionality in the softwarecontrolling the switch. For example, the growth of cellular radiotelephone services has required switching exchanges to serve as mobileswitching centers (MSC) for controlling the interconnection of variousradio base site controllers (ESC) and allowing mobile subscribers to bepassed from cell to cell within the radio network. Similarly, the adventof integrated services digital network (ISDN) services has also requiredspecial functionality within switching exchanges in order to renderthese services to subscribers. While a number of separate specializedexchanges rendering different services to their respective subscriberscan be connected together into a communication network, it is veryexpensive, both in terms of redundant hardware as well as operation andmaintenance personnel to provide discrete switches separately programmedwith the functionality required for each type of telecommunicationservice to be rendered.

One approach to reducing the expenses of a telecommunication network isto provide a plurality of different functions in the same switch. Thisinvolves the adding of additional software blocks within the controlmodules of the switch to provide the required functionality for therendition of each service. Such functionality may relate to special PSTNrelated services, business group or centrex type (PBAX) services, ISDNservices, MSC services and others. The problem with such an approach isthat while hardware costs are saved by using the same switch formultiple functions, the software, and particularly the interaction ofdifferent software blocks with one another, becomes extremely complex.For example, the addition of one new function may adversely affect oreven disable the performance of an existing function in a totallyunexpected way. As a result, a large part of the software developmentcosts encountered with such systems in use today are connected withtrying to anticipate the effect which new code added to the system willhave upon the existing code and the testing and debugging of the overallsoftware system in response to the continued addition of newfunctionality. The evolution of such "megasystems" of software hasdramatically increased the costs of adding new upgrades and newfunctionality to existing services and has increased the developmenttime of such software to the point that new functions are virtuallyoutdated before they can actually be implemented in the switch. Theseare not desirable results for the telecommunications companies, theircustomers, or the ultimate subscribers to the services.

Another approach to adding multiple functions to a telecommunicationsexchange is that of providing multiple processors and dividing out thesoftware to spread it across the several processors. For example, somesystems have proposed to have one processor execute certain functionblocks of software and another processor execute other function blocksin order to try and decrease the complexity of the software operatingwithin each processor. While multiple processor systems may have someadvantages, such as enhanced throughput and call carrying capacity,there are distinct disadvantages with such systems. For example, wherethere is a chain of functions required for call setup and thosefunctions are spread across multiple processors, a fault in oneprocessor can disrupt the entire call setup process. In addition, theduplication of hardware, such as the use of multiple processors,increases not only the cost of that hardware but also the cost of otherancillary support and maintenance functions. These disadvantages ofmultiprocessor systems are present whether the several processors are inthe same switch and located on a common bus or whether they are locatedin separate switches and interconnected by means of a local area network(LAN).

Still another prior art attempt to achieve multiple functionality in asingle telecommunications exchange is to simply load multiplefunctionally oriented software systems into the same switch and compilethem as one such as, for example, the loading of a PABX software systemdirectly into a local PSTN switch. Such a combination includes at leastone large disadvantage by requiring physical line circuits to performthe interworking between the PABX part and the local PSTN part. Inaddition, there may be other conflicts between the functionality of thetwo different software systems and certainly no cooperative sharing ofseparately accessed common resources.

Thus, it would be great advantage to organize the software within an SPCtelecommunication exchange in a manner which allows multiple specifictelecommunications applications to be performed with optimumfunctionality within the same switch. Such an architecture is providedby the system of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the system of the invention includes separate softwareblocks defined to include application oriented functions which areassociated together in a single exchange serving different applications.The application modules are served by resource modules which provide thenecessary communication between different application modules as well asthe necessary hardware interactions to perform their respectivetelecommunications functions.

In one aspect the invention includes a software system for controlling astored program controlled telecommunications switching exchange whichincludes a plurality of telecommunications control modules. Each controlmodule includes software for implementing a group of features configuredto provide telecommunications services for a particular application andwithout regard to configuration of the features for other applications.The system also includes a plurality of telecommunications resourcemodules, wherein each resource module includes software for implementingcommon support services which are useful by two or more of the controlmodules, and communications links between each of the control modules.The links include network protocols for exchanging information withoutany control module being aware of whether the control module it iscommunicating with is in the same exchange.

In a further aspect of the invention the resource modules include atransaction manager for enabling communications between respective onesof said control modules and a connection manager for controlling thehardware of the exchange in response to instructions from the controlmodule.

In a still further aspect of the invention each of the control modulesinclude a plurality of user service entities for establishingcommunications from a telecommunications services user and a pluralityof network service entities for establishing communications between aplurality of user service entities.

In a further aspect the present invention includes a software system forcontrolling a stored program controlled telecommunications exchange inwhich a plurality of application modules provide telecommunicationsservices to the users connected to the exchange. Each application moduleinclude control instructions and data for the implementation of aspecific telecommunications application for the users. A plurality ofresource modules provide certain functional elements oftelecommunications services to each of the application modules. Eachresource module has access to and control over the relevant hardwarecomponents of the exchange necessary for performing the specificfunctional actions required to implement its assigned service elements.Data communications is provided between each of the application modulesand each other application module and each resource module to enable thetelecommunications services of each application module to be provided tothe users without use of the control instructions or data of any otherapplication module.

In another aspect, the invention includes a service application modulefor providing the application specific telecommunications services andan access application module for connecting the users to the serviceapplication modules to receive the services.

In still another aspect, the invention includes a method for convertingan existing application program for providing telecommunicationsservices within a stored controlled telecommunications exchange into anapplication module for providing telecommunications services to theusers connected to the exchange in which the application module includescontrol instructions and data for the implementation of a specifictelecommunications application for said users. The method includesselecting an existing application program which provides thetelecommunications services necessary to implement the application andadding to the application program the protocols necessary to enable theapplication program to communicate with other application modules forproviding other specific communications services to the users connectedto the exchange. The method also includes adding to the applicationprogram the interfaces necessary to enable the program to communicatewith resource modules for providing certain functional elements oftelecommunications services to application modules, each resource modulehaving access to and control over the relevant hardware components ofthe exchange necessary for performing the specific functional actionsrequired to implement its assigned service elements.

In a still further aspect, the invention includes a plurality of networkprotocols for structuring the passage of messages between respectiveapplication modules so that application modules communicate with otherapplication modules without any knowledge of whether or not the modulewith which it is communicating is within the same exchange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For an understanding of the present invention, and for further objectsand advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the followingdescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an illustrative characterization of a prior art softwaresystem within a local telecommunication exchange;

FIG. 2 is an illustrative characterization of the prior art softwarewithin a telecommunication exchange which provides for multipleapplication functionality;

FIG. 3 is an illustrative characterization of the software within atelecommunication exchange having the architecture configured inaccordance with the system of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating the cost of designing functionality intotelecommunications software systems;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative diagram of multiple dedicatedtelecommunications exchanges interconnected with one another in anetwork;

FIG. 6 is an illustrative diagram of the way in which multipleapplication functionality is incorporated into the software system ofthe present invention;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the overall concept embodied in thesoftware system of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the prior art hardware and software unitswithin a telecommunication exchange;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the hardware and software units within thesystem of the present invention;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are block diagrams illustrating communication betweentwo exchanges by means of network protocol signalling;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating communications betweenapplication modules through internal network protocols in accordancewith the system of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating certain aspects of atelecommunications network related to the system of the presentinvention;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a service access module as usedin the system of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating certain communications aspectsof the system of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating certain aspects of communicationbetween different exchanges related to the system of the presentinvention;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating the separation betweenfunctionality and technology related to the system of the presentinvention;

FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating telecommunications interfacesrelated to the system of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating communication access within thesystem of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating communication with anapplication module within the system of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating communications betweensubscribers and application modules within the system of the presentinvention;

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating communication between differentapplication modules within the same switching system incorporating thesystem of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a block diagram illustrating communication between differentapplication modules within different switching systems incorporating thesystem of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a block diagram illustrating the functional decomposition ofan access application module and a connection manager resource moduleemployed within the system of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating the functional decomposition ofa line handler within an access application module employed within thesystem of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a block diagram illustrating the functional decomposition ofa line entrance within an access application module employed within thesystem of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship between linefunctions within access application modules and different serviceapplication modules within the system of the present invention; and

FIG. 28 is a block diagram of access and service application modules andsupporting resource modules constructed in accordance with the system ofthe present invention;

FIG. 29 is a block diagram of multiple application modules within asoftware architecture for a telecommunications exchange constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a block diagram of an existing application module and a pairof new application modules together with resource modules in a softwaresystem constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a block diagram illustrating communication between differentaccess and service application modules in the system of the presentinvention;

FIG. 32 is a block diagram illustrating communication between a pair ofapplication modules through a transaction resource module within thesystem of the present invention;

FIG. 33 is a block diagram of an existing application module togetherwith a plurality of additional service and access application modulestogether with resource modules in the system of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a block diagram of a plurality of hardware and softwareelements illustrating their interrelationship within the system of thepresent invention;

FIG. 35 is a block diagram of application modules and a connectionmanager resource module within the system of the present invention;

FIG. 36 is a block diagram illustrating another aspect of therelationship between application modules and the connection managerresource module within the system of the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a block diagram illustrating the relationship betweenexisting and new application modules and the connection manager resourcemodule within the system of the present invention;

FIG. 38 is a block diagram illustrating the function of a chargingmanager resource module within the system of the present invention; and

FIG. 39 is a block diagram illustrating software development within thesystem of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

General Overview

As discussed above, SPC telecommunications exchanges have evolveddramatically over the last several decades. Initially, there was alimited amount of functionality incorporated into each exchange and thesoftware implementing that functionality was directed primarily to therendition of PSTN local exchange service. Referring to FIG. 1, there isshown a small house 11 as a metaphor characterizing the softwaresubsystem of a PSTN local exchange well known in the prior art. Thissoftware has traditionally been organized into function oriented blocks,each designed to perform a specific functional action and to interactwith the other blocks to efficiently provide local public switchtelecommunication network services to the subscribers connected to thatexchange.

As time went on, a number of new telecommunication services weredeveloped. These services, such as integrated services digital network(ISDN) and public land mobile network (PLMN), required substantiallydifferent functionality from that incorporated into the softwarecontrolling the traditional PSTN exchange. As metaphorically illustratedin FIG. 2, the addition of ISDN functionality 12 and PLMN functionality13 to the traditional PSTN software functionality 11 required theaddition of numerous braces, props and software fixes 14 necessary toprovide the new functionality within the existing framework ofconventional PSTN based software architectures. The development of suchnew functionality and the incorporation of it into the existingstructural framework involves a tremendous amount of development timeand cost, as well as the compromising of numerous features and functionsin order to ensure that all of the functionality will work togetherharmoniously in the same exchange. Moreover, the design of such"megasystems" of software are reaching the point at which the complexityhas become so great and the development time so long that this approachis no longer a viable solution to the need for additionaltelecommunications functions.

The system of the present invention provides a new architecturalapproach to software structures within existing SPC telecommunicationexchange hardware and allows the development of individual applicationmodules for providing functionality for a particular telecommunicationsapplication, in a highly efficient functionality. As metaphoricallyrepresented in FIG. 3, a PSTN application module 15 may coexist with anISDN application module 16 and a PLMN application module 17 all withinthe same hardware and the same application platform 18. The road 19 bywhich they all communication and interrelate with one another is formedby a plurality of resource modules within the software which enable therespective application modules to communicate with and relate to oneanother and with respective ones of the resource modules through networkprotocols. That is, the software within the architecture of the presentinvention is networked within each exchange in a manner similar to theway in which discrete exchanges are networked with one another, as willbe set forth in greater detail below.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a graph illustrating the currentcost of development of successive versions of prior art software withina telecommunication exchange. As illustrated, the development costs ofone issue of a software package 21 includes a certain initial cost 22and involve an increasing amount of work as additional functions areadded to that software. Ultimately, the cost of adding additionalfunctions becomes so prohibitive that a particular software packagereaches its structural breaking point 23 and requires a redesign.Production costs of the next edition of the software 24 involves acertain redesign cost, preferably undertaken at a cost effective timeprior to the breaking point of the first software edition 21. Asadditional functions are added to the next edition of the software 24,it too reaches a breaking point 26 and again requires a redesign into athird edition 27 and so forth. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the amount ofwork, and thus the costs, of adding additional functions to conventionaltelecommunications software packages becomes more expensive the morecomplex the software becomes. Eventually, the software becomes socomplex that it is no longer modifiable and requires a full redesign inorder to continue to perform its functions. The system of the presentinvention provides an architecture which dramatically simplifies theinherent necessity of upgrading telecommunications software to add newfunctionality and dramatically decreases the cost of such continuedgrowth and the expansion of telecommunication services.

FIG. 5 illustrates a traditional telecommunications network in which theobjects in the network are the exchanges. A local PSTN exchange 31serves its local subscribers and is connected via trunks 32 to a transitPSTN exchange 33, which is in turn connected to an international gatewayPSTN exchange 34. For purposes of illustration, these exchanges 31-34are located in a first country 35 and are connected to exchanges withina second country 36 by means of international trunks 37 connected to aninternational PSTN exchange 38. The additional exchanges served by theinternational PSTN exchange 38 may include a national ISDN exchange 39as well as a national PSTN exchange 40, each of which include aplurality of subscribers and are connected by means of trunks 41. Inaddition, the national PSTN 40 exchange may also be connected by trunk41 to a plurality of private PABX exchange networks 42 and 43 servingtheir respective subscribers. As illustrated, exchanges of such aninternational network are coupled together by means of various networkslinks and communicate with one another by means of network protocols sothat they may serve their respective areas by providing communicationsbetween their respective subscribers and other subscribers within thenetwork.

Referring next to FIG. 6, there is shown an illustration of the softwaresystem of the present invention in which a single exchange 51 can beviewed as incorporating a plurality of separate logical nodes and thefunctionality of those nodes and the interconnections between them isincorporated into a single exchange 52 containing the software system ofthe present invention. For example, a local PSTN node 53 may beconnected to an ISDN node 54, both of which are coupled to a privatebusiness group node 55 which is in turn coupled to another privatebusiness group node 56. The local PSTN node 53 communicates with thebusiness group node 55 through a multifrequency code (MFC) protocol 57,while the ISDN node 54 communicates with both the local PSTN node 53 andthe private business group node 55 through the CCITT telephone user part(TUP) protocols 58 and 59. The ISDN node 54 may communicate with otherISDN nodes via an integrated services user part (ISUP) protocol 61 andthe private node 56 communicates with the private node 55 via a digitalprivate network signalling system protocol (DPNSS) 62. Each of theseparate nodes 53-56 include telephone subscribers 63 while the privatebusiness group node 56 and the ISDN node 54 may also include datacommunications subscribers 64. The way in which each of these nodescommunicate with other nodes via certain defined protocols is reflectedin the software architecture of the present invention which incorporateswithin a single switch 52 the functionality of the local PSTN node 53 byincluding a PSTN application module 65. Similarly, the functionality ofthe ISDN node 54 is incorporated into an ISDN application module 66while the functionality of the private business group node 55 isincorporated into a business group application module 67, each of whichmay communicate with one another via a defined TUP protocol 68 and witha plurality of common resources 69 via defined interfaces 71. The commonresources 69 may include switches, load supervision (LOAS), announcementmachines (ASAM), message transfer parts (MTP) and others. As can be seenin FIG. 6, incorporating the functionality within discrete applicationmodules in the same switch 52 allows great advantages in thesimplification of the software into specific application functions. Inthe system of the present invention, networking within the software isperformed in a similar manner inside the switch 52 as outside theexchange.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a block diagram of the components ofthe software system of the present invention 72 which comprises aplurality of individual application modules 73 which are interconnectedand coupled both with one another and with a plurality of resourcemodules 74. The application modules (AMs) 73 communicate with oneanother and with the resource modules (RMs) by means of definedprotocols 75 between AMs 73 and defined interfaces with RMs 74 which, ineffect, create virtual switches and enable interaction and networking ofthe software in a manner which permits the efficient implementation ofdiscrete telecommunication application oriented blocks. Thisarchitecture provides great advantages in the implementation of thesoftware by allowing the tailoring of each application module to theindividual functionality associated with a particular telecommunicationsapplication. For example, the functionality of the software necessary toimplement a business group communications application is substantiallydifferent to that necessary to implement an ISDN application. Dividingthe software into application oriented modules enables the providing ofdiscrete telecommunications functions custom configured for particularapplications without the necessity of one application's softwareinteracting with software directed to an entirely different applicationfunctionality, as in the case of the present software structures withina single telecommunications exchange. Each of the application modulescan readily communicate with one another and may draw upon resourcemodules within the software which provide all necessary interactionswith the switch hardware and with certain functional services which areavailable to the individual application modules and are common to morethan one of the application modules. In effect, each application modulecomprises a virtual switch or a virtual exchange which thinks that itowns the switch hardware and is free to utilize that hardwareexclusively for its own distinct application oriented functionality.This architecture allows the addition of upgrades to the software andenhancement of the functionality of one application module withoutregard to the affect of those software changes on other applicationmodules. Since the exchange is no longer controlled by a single body offunctionally divided blocks, there is much less likelihood thatmodifying a functional feature for one application will adversely affectthe performance of that function in another application.

Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown an illustrative block diagramrepresenting the functional units within which prior art SPCtelecommunication switches are divided. On system level 1, there is thetelecommunications AXE switch itself 81 which is divided into twoprincipal parts: APT 82, which comprises the telephony portion of thesystem on level 2; and APZ 83, which comprises the control portion ofthe system on level 2. Both APT 82 and APZ 83 include hardware in theform of printed circuit board assemblies, and software in the form ofprograms and data. Both APT 82 and APZ 83 are further subdivided into aplurality of different subsystems on the next, or subsystem, level ofthe structure. Looking first at the control part 83, there are includeda number of different subsystems, some examples of which are the filemanagement subsystem (FMS) 84, the man-machine communications subsystem(MCS) 85 and the central processor subsystem (CPS) 86. Similarly, thesubsystem level of the telephony part APT 82 is comprised of a number ofdifferent functional units, including a subscriber services subsystem(SUS) 87, a trunk and signalling subsystem (TSS) 88, and an operationand maintenance subsystem (OMS) 89. By way of further illustration, thesubsystem units 87-89 are further subdivided on a functional level intoa plurality of separate function blocks. For example, the trunk andsignalling subsystem (TSS) 88 includes outgoing trunks (OT) 91, both waytrunks (BT) 92 and code senders (CS) 93. Finally, on the functional unitlevel, each of the function blocks are further subdivided intoindividual functional units. For example, the both way trunk functionblock 92 is subdivided into a central software unit of the both waytrunk (BTU) 94, a regional software unit of the both way trunk block(BTR) 95 and a hardware unit necessary for the implementation of theboth way trunk (HW) 96. As can be seen from the illustration of FIG. 8,the telephony portion of the system, the APT 82, begins on the systemlevel 2 and is grouped directly into subsystems 87-89, which aresubdivided into function blocks 91-93, which are, in turn, furthersubdivided into the actual functional units 94-96. Thus, the software inprior art systems is organized primarily in accordance with functionalstructures which perform separate activities and cooperate with oneanother for the performance of a telecommunication service.

Referring next to FIG. 9, there is shown a block diagram illustratingthe way in which the software architecture of the system of the presentinvention is structured in contrast to the prior art structure of FIG.8. In FIG. 9, system level 1 still includes the telecommunications AXEswitch itself 101 which is subdivided into a control part (APZ) 102, aproduct line oriented telephony part (APT) 103, and a resource moduleplatform part (APR) 104, each of which reside on system level 2. In thesystem of the present invention shown in FIG. 9, there is inserted intothe system organizational structure a new level 3 between system level 2and the subsystem level. On system level 3, there are no changes in thecontrol part (APZ) 102 and its next subdivision is found directly on thesubsystem level (ANZ) 105. However, on system level 3, the product lineor application oriented telephony part APT 103 is subdivided into aplurality of different application modules 106 within each of which iscontained the necessary software for implementation of a particulartelephony application. Similarly, the resource module platform (APR) 104on system level 2 is subdivided on system level 3 into a plurality ofresource modules (AMR) 107 and 108. These representative resourcemodules 107 and 108 contain the necessary software for implementation ofcertain functions which are common to more than one application module106, and therefore may be shared between those application modules, aswell as functions necessary for communication between respective ones ofthe application modules 106, between the application modules 106 andresource modules 107 and 108 and the functions necessary to cause theswitch hardware to perform the telecommunications functions. From systemlevel 3, both the application modules 106 and resource modules 107 and108 are then subdivided at the subsystem (ANT) 109 and 110,respectively, which are in turn subdivided on a function block level(CNT) 111, 112 and 113. The function blocks 111-113 are, of course,further subdivided into functional units as has previously been thecase.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the software architecture of the presentinvention adds both a new system level 3 to the structure of thesoftware, containing the application modules 106 and resource modules107-108, as well as the resource module platform 104 and its subpartscontained on system level 3 and below. This reorganization of the systemstructure provides greatly enhanced manageability of the software. Forexample, the system organization of FIG. 9 provides application modulesand resource modules which are of lower individual complexity, can bedesigned independently and in parallel without the need for coordinationbetween the design of other application modules and are of a size thatis easily understandable by the individuals involved in the process.This reduction in both complexity and the necessity for designcoordination with others areas results in a decrease in the design leadtime as well as the cost of design projects.

Having given a general overview of the application modularity conceptsand their overall structure, we will now address and develop the basicprinciples used in a practical application of these concepts totelecommunications exchange architectures.

A basic concept of the application modularity architecture is that ofdefining the functionality to be incorporated into each applicationmodule at a relatively high level. Such definitions involve fouraspects: a functional specification, a network specification, a systemspecification and a general implementation. To illustrate the procedureswhich would be applied to the functionality design of each of thespecific application modules to be incorporated into the architecture ofthe present invention, business group voice services, e.g., Centrexservices, will be used to exemplify the design and specification of aparticular telecommunication service for incorporation into one or moreapplication modules, including, for example, an access applicationmodule and a business group application module.

Application Module Functional Specification

Since the system of the present invention is based upon applicationmodularity, the particular telecommunications applications, such asbusiness communication services, can be designed without taking theneeds of other telecommunications applications into account. Such adesign includes a top-down methodology based upon the levels of service,network, system and implementation.

Business group services are paid for by subscribers, that is, thebusinesses which lease or purchase their equipment rather than by userspaying for the service on a per call basis. It is therefore necessary toconsider the types of subscribers that may need a businesstelecommunications system and why they have such a need. It is alsonecessary to consider the types of subscribers which need to besupported in a business group and how calls can be routed to each ofthem within the system.

Subscriber Types and Their Users

In normal, medium to large subscribers, most traffic is internal betweenthe subscriber's employees. The main purpose of the telecommunicationssystem is to enable employees of the business to communicate with eachother as required for the efficient performance of their jobs. Whilethere will also be some communication between employees in the outsideworld, it may be possible to make some or all of these calls by directdialing. In addition, there will be one or more operators to assistusers and outside callers in making efficient use of the facilitieswhich are available.

The user types within a business communications group generally includean operator. It must be possible to easily reach an operator, eitherfrom outside or inside the business group, and the operator must have acomprehensive and flexible set of services available. Since the operatormay be expected to assist any user within the business group, anoperator needs to be able to do anything that any other user could dothemselves. In addition, operators have considerable traffic to handleso that call handling productivity is important. Since operatorsspecialize in handling calls, they will be likely to learn the optionsavailable to them and the incorporation of special functions for anoperator to quickly set up connections are therefore likely to be costeffective when included within business group services. The operatorshould also be able to expect a very high priority in the delivery oftelecommunications services if there were competition within the groupfor access to other users. In addition, if more than one operator ispresent, an operator call should be able to be answered by any one ofthe operators, since it is the service, not the individual operator thatis sought by a user. Due to the importance of any calls placed to anoperator being completed, such calls should be held in queue until anoperator is free instead of having a busy tone returned to the caller ifall the operators are busy. It is also desirable that several queues beincluded with different priorities, and an operator should be aware thatthere are calls waiting in queues even when occupied on another call.Further, arrangements should be made within the system for operatorcalls to be handled even after the operators have gone home, in the formof night service of a similar type to that rendered by the operatorsduring working hours.

A second type of user within business group communication services, isthe ordinary employee and callers, from both inside and outside of thebusiness group, should be able to contact such employees at their placeof work. Therefore, the dialed number should identify the employeerather than a physical location, and when the employee moves, eitherpermanently or temporarily, calls directed to that employee shouldfollow along to the new location. An employee is also likely to have aneed to contact fellow workers as well as a need to make external calls.For this reason, restrictions on external calls may be imposed by thebusiness group subscriber since charges would be incurred for suchcalls.

The manager/executive user within the business group telecommunicationssystem should have all the facilities available to an ordinary employeeas well as additional services, including speaker phone services, sincesuch an employee is likely to have an individual office. In addition, amanager should be able to expect priority access to services, includingpriority access to certain individual users. A manager will also havesecretarial assistance available who should be able to filter calls, dueto nonavailability or call preference, as well as to establish calls forthe manager in a manner similar to that of an operator.

Another type of employee user requiring special treatment is thesecretary, who may provide a service to one or more managers. Allsecretaries must have all options available to the managers as well asdirect intercom between the secretary and the managers to which thesecretary is responsible.

In addition to the classes of employees discussed above, there will beother users of a business communication group of a functional type whichrequire special accommodation within the functionality of a businessgroup application module. For example, a call has traditionally beenmade to an extension at a fixed location, and while business usesdirected to employees rather than locations are tending to replace this,such an application will still be needed for certain purposes. Forexample, this may be the case when several employees share a telephoneor a room, or in a conference room which has a telephone but no employeepermanently located there. In addition, emergency answer points shouldbe provided for and since calls to such points should always get throughand be answered, outgoing calls from such points are prohibited.Similarly, incoming calls made to such an emergency answer point shouldbe automatically conferenced, even though the user is already engaged,since it is likely that there may be several callers wishing to reportthe same major incident. In addition, service support point help lines,which are accessed to obtain information or advice concerning anontelephony service, should be provided for in the functionality of abusiness group. Since there is likely to be fairly heavy traffic to sucha user, the probability of getting through should be kept high alongwith a provision for the queuing of calls. The queue should be served bymore than one user since it is a service rather than an individual whichis sought. Service support point users are unlikely to require anyparticularly sophisticated service or support for outgoing calls,although such calls may be permitted.

There also may be times when it is important to contact a specificemployee who is not at his/her normal place of work, and three differentuser types facilitating such contact may be provided for includingpaging, cordless and roaming user services. If a caller encounters busyor no reply when seeking to contact a paged mobile service user, pagingcan be initiated by dialing a short code and the paging receiver number.The user carrying the paging device will hear a tone and should then beable to use any normal extension to dial a short code and the pagingnumber. The call would then be automatically connected to the originalcaller. A cordless mobile user has a cordless connection to the networkwith a radio connection to a single transmitter, the signal of which canbe received over a limited distance, such as a few hundred yards whichshould suit most operational sites. A roaming mobile user makes use of acellular radio telecommunications network and connection can be madefrom the business group to such a user located anywhere within thenetwork.

Because there is a growing interest in making it possible for employeesto be able to work at home, allowances for a home telecommunicationsuser should make it easy for communications to follow workers to theirhomes without affecting the services and facilities available within thebusiness communications group.

When a hotline user goes off hook, a connection is automatically made toa predefined called party. One optional modification in such a serviceis that of providing a pause between the off-hook condition and makingthe connection to allow the user to change the type of service wanted bydialing or keying appropriate digits. Such hotline service should be afacility available to a variety of users rather than to a separate usertype itself.

Most of the communications users exemplified above are found in largerbusinesses. In the case of small subscribers, it may be that there aretoo few users to justify a dedicated operator and with fewer internalextensions, a higher proportion of the traffic is likely to be internal.The user types expected with a small subscriber may include a basic keyset and an executive key set. In the case of the former, when calls fromoutside the business group arrive, each user will receive an indicationand each user may accept and, if required, forward the call to anotherindividual. In addition, with few internal users, each basic key set maybe called by using an individual key. The executive key set will includethe same basic call setup but with extended displays, functionality,etc.

In the case of hotel, motel and hospital types of business groupcommunication users, each of such subscribers may have guests who wishto make calls from the business group to the outside. Provisions shouldbe made that such guests would be expected to pay for those calls.Therefore, user types would likely include the same as those in largebusinesses, but in addition, would include a house phone service, whichwould be directly connected to the public switch telecommunicationnetwork (PSTN) and should be available to guests and need not form partof the business group itself. A guest's phone should be available tomake it possible for them to make external calls easily with charges forthose calls being recorded for addition to the visitor's bill. It shouldbe possible to change the class of service if the room within which thephone is located is not occupied by a guest.

In the case of dispatched transportation services such as radio taxisand the like, such a category of subscribers is dependent upon incomingtelephone calls for its business survival. Therefore, any lost callsmeans loss of business credibility and service should include simple,automatic call distribution (ACD) answer point service. In such service,incoming calls will be queued and it should be possible for more thanone user to pick up calls waiting in the queue. All users will have anindication of the state of the queue and the number of calls remainingto be answered.

In the case of mail order businesses, credit card services and the like,such subscribers are also dependent upon incoming telephone calls fortheir very business existence. However, in this case, the number ofusers available to handle the calls will be higher and the handling ofcalls is likely to be more complex. Thus, any of the user typesdiscussed above in connection with large businesses may be included.

In the case of automatic call distribution services, such as airlinereservation systems, there are a number of individual user types withinsuch service including an agent, a supervisor, and a manager. In thecase of ACD agents, calls will be queued and may be either offered to orforced upon agents who should be given the opportunity to temporarilyblock out queue access while performing other duties. Agents may alsohave an indication of the incoming call origin and trunk number, thelength of the queue, and the status of held and transferred calls.Simple access to the supervisor and the possibility of having callsrecorded is also required, and this should be possible either with orwithout the knowledge of the calling party. Supervisors may be requiredfor assistance or for abusive/threatening calls. Thus, the ACDsupervisor should have all of the same facilities as the agent but withthe additional capability of being able to monitor the status of agents,including historic call handling performance. The supervisor may alsointrude upon agents' calls with or without the agents being aware of itand direct calls to specific agents. The ACD manager should have all ofthe supervisor's facilities but should also have a real time andhistoric information system and the opportunity to reconfigure/reconnectqueues and alter other ACD system parameters on line.

Call Routing in Business Groups

When a call is established within business group application modules,the system will be informed of the desired call destination by means ofa string of digits referred to as the directory number (DN) normallyidentifying the desired user. In order to meet the needs of businessgroup subscribers directory numbers need to support the followingrequirements. First, directory numbers should include moveability andnetwork transparency so that business group users should be able to bereached by use of the same directory number even if they change theirphysical location. Whether the business group is implemented by onesystem or by a network should be transparent to the user and in eithercase, services should be the same for all combinations of users in thebusiness group. Second, the directory number should include multitenantconfiguration with one system being used to support one subscriber. Suchwould be the normal system where a public telecommunicationsadministration in providing the service, but is somewhat less commonwhere the service is provided by a private automatic branch exchange(PABX) within a private network. One subscriber should not be aware ofany of the others even though they could be sharing one or moreoperators. Finally, directory numbers should meet the requirements ofgroups in the event the caller does not need to contact a particularindividual but any one of a number of individuals within a group. Thoseindividuals would need to be registered as members of the group, forexample, any member of a department might be able to supply the desiredinformation to a caller. Group membership should be under subscribercontrol and calls to the group should be routed to any free member ofthe group. The group membership and arrangement should enable thecondition that either all members are equally likely to get calls, i.e.,a distribution group, or the members of the group may always be tried ina specified order, i.e., a hunt group.

With regard to the directory number/user equipment relationship, thenumber of user types encountered, as discussed above, demonstrates thatthe use of a directory is becoming increasingly more varied. One usermay be covered by more than one user type and hence, calls to more thanone directory number may be routed to the same item of user equipment.However, when the directory number defines a group, as discussed above,the directory number/user relationship is not as simple, and suchexamples are increasing within business communication groups. Thesubscriber should be able to define the numbering plan to be used withinthe business group. With regard to external access, a constraint occurswhen calls cross gateways between the business group and other networksin that the number plan used across the gateway clearly needs to beconsistent with that which the other network expects. However, thebusiness group may translate the numbers used across gateways in orderto enable users to obtain the service they desire without unnecessarycomplication or confusion. The allocation of internal directory numbersis under subscriber control and the number plan must allow for theinvocation of services and facilities by dialing/keying digits withoutambiguity.

The system should include facilities for multiple levels ofcommunication from the network to the user including ringing of a belland beeping of a paging device. In addition, once a speech connection isestablished, a user should be given an audible indication of the networkstate, either through selected tones or recorded announcements. Whilelamps may be used to give a limited number of state indications, LCDdisplays and video terminal displays may be employed to give a muchgreater quantity of information. Similarly, communication from the userto the network should be provided by on-hook/off-hook indication, thedialing/keying of digits, both for immediate and delayed transmission,and recall/flashing of the receiver. In addition, facilities keys can beused to invoke certain common facilities along with keyboard inputs at avideo display unit and voice recognition techniques.

Business Group Service Descriptions

The types of services available within a business group had been definedby numerous national and international telecommunications and standardsgroups, particularly with reference to PABX services. In addition, thevariety and scope of communications services demanded by business groupsubscribers is increasing at a very rapid rate.

The basic business group service package, i.e., the minimumcommunications services considered necessary for an automatic service,includes services to both extension users and operators. Extension usersshould be able to make calls without operator assistance, includingcalls from one extension to other extensions, to the PSTN and overtielines. Extension user operator assisted services should includeoperators being able to handle calls to or from the public network,calls outgoing or incoming over tielines, or calls diverted to theoperator due to failure, and ensure that those calls are eachsuccessfully handled. Services to operators themselves should enable theoperator to place an incoming call on hold before that call has beentransferred to a waiting party. The operator should have an indicationthat the call on hold, either permanently or after a predetermined timeperiod. It should also be possible for the operator to put a callerwanting a busy extension on hold, which call should be automaticallydiverted back to the operator if not answered within a predeterminedtime. The operator should have monitoring features available, includingthe identity of the external line calling or being called by theoperator, the identity of an extension calling or being called by theoperator, and for calls diverted or rediverted to the operator, theidentify of the called extension and the calling external line and thereasons for diversion. The operator should also have available a displayof call states, including: call waiting for an answer, extension beingrung, extension engaged and extension answered.

Operator services should further include an intrusion feature so thatwhen an important call is received for an extension which is alreadybusy, the operator should be able to intrude upon the existingconversation and offer the new call to the engaged extension. Such anintrusion should be accompanied by a tone heard by all three partiesconcerned. In addition, there should be an executive intrusion serviceallowing executive users similar intrusion features.

Business group services should allow for rapid call setup, includingvarious ways of reducing the number of digits to be dialed in order toestablish some of the more probable calls within the system. One sucharrangement includes a procedure in which the subscriber establishes acommon list of telephone numbers which are frequently called by theusers and each such number is given a corresponding abbreviated number.When a short code, including the abbreviated number, is dialed, it isconverted by the system into the called telephone number. The callthereafter proceeds as a normal call. The subscriber may arrange thisservice in such a way that a part of the list may only be used bycertain groups of users. Another implementation is that of allowing aparticular extension number who frequently needs to call certaintelephone numbers to be given or to be able to prepare its own list ofcorresponding abbreviated numbers. The stored numbers may be internal orexternal and when a short code, which includes the abbreviated number,is dialed, it is converted by the system into a called telephone numberwhich is then processed as a normal call.

Rapid call setup services within a business group application moduleshould also include the possibility for a user executing a short controlprocedure to repeat the dialing of a number previously dialed from thesame extension. One implementation of such a redialing service is basedupon the automatic registration of every complete dialed number withinthe system and the possibility of its redial by the use of a short code.

Another abbreviated dialing service arrangement is that of a particularextension number setting up a call to a predetermined telephone numberby merely lifting the handset. Such services may be either fixed so thatsuch connection is implemented in all cases where the user goesoff-hook, or the allowance of users to set their own fixed destinationsby providing a time out after which the fixed destination call would bemade. The time out gives the user the opportunity to cancel the fixeddestination request within the system before it is actually made.

Another class of service features within a business group includesrestriction and priority services which gives the subscriber controlover some of the call types which are available to individual userswithin the group. Two such service restrictions are control over certaincategories of outgoing calls from particular extensions as well ascertain categories of incoming calls to particular extensions. Prioritymay also be given to certain nominated users regarding access to thebusiness group operator so that when the operators are busy, thesubscriber may decide which users have priority access. Such operatorpriority may be either automatic for all designated users or it may benecessary for users with the appropriate class of service to invokepriority by the use of appropriate codes. Another related business groupservice is diversion bypass which enables operators and designated usersto bypass call diversion and present urgent calls to extensions whichhave invoked call diversion. Such service may be invoked either when theinitial call attempt is made or when the caller discovers that thecalled extension has been answered at the diverted to extension. Inaddition, it should be possible for an extension user to delete orprevent either generally or selectively, diversions to his extensionwithin the group.

The handling of calls to extensions at which the user is not present maybe handled in a number of different ways within a business groupapplication module. First, such calls may be immediately diverted underthe control of any user having the appropriate class of service todivert the call to another directory number which may either berepresented by another extension or by a recorded announcement machinewith or without the possibility to record a message. The user invokingthe call diversion feature may also register a further diversion fromthe nominated extension in a "follow me" diversion or to cancel thediversion from the nominated extension.

Another option would be that of a diversion upon ringing but no replyand such service should be under the control of the user with theappropriate class of service. Under such diversion, the user can divertto another directory number which can either represent another extensionor a recorded announcement machine, with or without the possibility torecord a message. Such diversion should also be capable of being furtherdiverted from the nominated extension by a "follow me" diversion and theuser should also be able to cancel the diversion from any nominatedextension. Another absent extension service is that a user with theappropriate class of service finding that a call attempt is notanswered, may register a call back request. When the called party nextbecomes free after completing a service request, a new attempt toestablish the original call will be made.

An additional business group service is that of giving extension usersand operators the possibility of paging called individuals who are notpresent at their extensions with the paged person being able to answerfrom any extension. In addition, a call should be able to be eitherparked or held at one extension and then later retrieved from the sameor from a different extension. Similarly, a call ringing at oneextension should be able to be picked up by a user at a differentextension by dialing a short code.

Another type of service within a business group application modulerelates to busy extension services and increases the likelihood of acall encountering a busy extension being successfully handled. One wayof handling such calls is having the call be completed automaticallywhen the called line becomes free without having to redial the extensionnumber. A call back when free request may be registered by a callingparty who has encountered a busy condition, and when the called partybecomes free, the following sequence will be initiated:

(a) the called party's line will be blocked;

(b) the calling party will be rung back; and

(c) when the calling party answers, the called party will be rerung,using a distinctive tone.

In addition, call diversion from a busy extension may also beimplemented along with the possibility for a user, engaged in anexisting call, to be given an indication that someone is attempting toobtain a connection to his number. A called party receiving a callwaiting tone might either ignore it and continue in the existing call orimplement certain procedures, such as a switch-hook-flash, to beconnected to the intruding caller, followed by another switch-hook-flashto be returned to the original party.

The system may also give an executive user at a selected business groupextension to, when calling another extension which is already engaged,intrude into the established conversation. Such service may be invokedeither with or without prior validation and be available on a class ofservice basis which determines which parties can intrude on whichothers.

Various possible call charging services should be provided by thebusiness group application module enabling the metering of calls fromindividual extensions for both charging as well as statistical datapurposes. The data from such call metering may be provided as printedrecords or statistical information within the system.

Another family of services within the business group application modulewould include multiparty and group services, comprising three-partyservice within the business group. Such services enable a user to holdan existing call and make a call to a third party, including the abilityto switch between the two calls, the introduction of a common speechpath between the three parties, and the connecting of two other partiestogether and leaving the conversation. Such services may also controlwhich parties can be placed on hold. Conference calls and add onconferences may also be provided within a particular business group.

Another family of services which should be provided within the businessgroup relate to group hunting and includes the provision for automaticselection of a free extension from a group of extensions when a call isplaced to a group number. One version of such a service includesbeginning the search for a free group member always starting with thesame number and proceeding in the same order. Another possibility isbeginning the search with a different number each time, which tends toproduce a more random distribution of calls. A related service providesfor a dial answer of group calls within the business group in whichcalls to a group number are queued. While any calls are present in thequeue, an audible and/or visual signal will be given and any groupmember can pick up the call which has been waiting longest by means of asimple code. This technique provides a simple automatic calldistribution service within the group.

The foregoing definition of potential services within a business groupapplication module may include other services. However, the examplesgiven above indicate the type of functionality which should be definedwhen specifying the overall operation within a business groupapplication module. Similar functionality would be defined for theparticular telecommunications applications to be furnished by eachapplication module of the present system. Each function and service maybe optimized for its particular application. Once the services withinany particular application module of the present system are defined, itthen remains to define which users would have which services. Once suchservice/user association decisions are made, the basic functionalityissues related to service in the application module are completed and itremains to decide which application modules are needed in order tosupport the desired functionality and to specify the network levelportion.

Application Module Network Specification

General Principles

When specifying the upper or service level of any application module,such as that of a business communication group, the services aredescribed as they are seen from outside the system. The network levelis, however, directed to the services as they are seen within theapplication module itself. Two basic principals which should be observedare:

1. A service should appear identical to the user regardless of whetherthe other users involved in the service are on the same or other nodesin the network; and

2. The user must be able to move from one node to another without thenecessity of changing the user's number.

On the network level, the services to be provided are considered interms of the demands they place on the network. Moreover, the networklevel is concerned with the allocation of functionality within thenetwork and such issues as centralized or distributed control within thenetwork.

In general, the first step is to consider how a telecommunicationsapplication is specified, which may include specification as adevelopment of an already specified service network, e.g., PSTN, or as aseparate service network, e.g., ISDN, as specified by C.C.I.T.T. Thesecond step is to identify a reference model for the service network,i.e., nodes with specified reference points in between, e.g., access andtransit nodes with specified protocols as reference points. Thisreference model for a service network will form the base for structuringof the system into AMs. In reference models for the nodes, commonfunctionality is identified and will form the basis for structuring thesystem into RMs.

The Network Model

In general, a network can be seen as a number of nodes connectedtogether by links. In a telecommunications network, the nodes aretelephone exchanges, subscribers and other peripheral equipment, such ascomputer databases. Traditionally, the controlling nodes in a networkhave been designed to fulfill specific roles, such as local exchanges,transit exchanges, mobile subscriber exchanges and the like. However,more and more exchange nodes are being asked to fulfill more than onerole at the same time. This has often caused problems in design due tothe interaction of the different requirements for each role. This isespecially true with centrex business group communication functionswhere there is a need to see a centrex group as a separate PABX, whichis isolated from the public switching functions of the system.

There are telecommunications administrations that specify businesscommunications services as a separate service network. The referencemodel for business communications consists of access nodes and servicenodes. These form the basis for identification of the business group AM,the analog access AM, and the digital access AM.

If we consider the nodes we wish to implement in a network as logicalelements rather than physical elements, it can provide a more flexiblesolution to the problems. Each logical element can be seen as acomponent in an application of which the business group applicationmodule is merely one example. Other examples include the PSTN node, MSCnode, etc., and each application supports a number of already definedinterfaces, such as MFC, C7, DASS1, DPNSS, R2, etc., each of which canbe used to interconnect different application modules, both internallyand externally within the physical exchange. Such a logical nodeoriented structure allows the definition and development of applicationmodules separately from one another by using defined interfaces.

It has been suggested that basic telecommunications features should beable to be used in any application; however, each application has itsown distinctive nuances and requirements for each basic feature becauseof the nature of the communication services to be provided. For example,the call diversion feature has different specific requirements whenimplemented for PSTN services, business group services, mobile services,and ISDN services. Thus, if there was only one call diversion featurewithin the system, it would be affected by the addition of each newapplication to the system.

In accordance with the system of the present invention, each applicationcan be designed in the most suitable way with basic features adapted tothat particular application. Each application would be a functionallymodular unit that can be freely combined in one exchange with any numberof other applications. In the network model, an instance of anapplication module is called a logical node. The logical nodes are alllinked together to form a logical network.

The network model provides the opportunity to functionally decompose thetelecommunication applications for complex services into several simpleapplication modules. Each module can be designed apart from the othersand there is no need to be concerned about the interactions with othermodules or the internal workings of the other modules. Once objects havebeen implemented in accordance with such networking principles, allservices will function identically regardless of whether subscribersinvolved are located in the same or in separate nodes and networktransparency of services will have been achieved.

In applying these principles to the business group services, as anexemplary application module, a subscriber does not want to be concernedwith implementation problems. Implementing networks by means ofexchanges connected together via links rather than by one singleexchange should not be allowed to degrade the service provided. When acall is to be established, the system will be informed of the desireddestination of the calls by means of a string of digits referred to as adirectory number. A directory number should identify the desired user,not be associated with a special item of user equipment. The subscriberdefines the numbering plan to be used within the business group and theallocation of internal directory numbers is entirely under thesubscriber's control. However, for calls outside the business group, thedirectory number must conform to external convention and/or standardsand the number plan must also allow for the invocation of services andfacilities solely by dialing/keying digits without ambiguity.

In the case of groups and queues, the caller does not need to contact aparticular individual but any one of a number of users. Since calls tothe group will be routed to any free member of the group, it musttherefore be possible for groups to include users connected to differentexchanges. In the case of queues, if all members of the group are busyand the call waits at the queue until a user becomes free to accept thecall, again, it must be possible to distribute the members of the grouparound the network. Within a private network, a subscriber will expectto be able to mix different manufacturer's equipment and, in practice,the subscriber is likely to have PABXs in service already; therefore,the business group application modules will have to be able to interworkwith that existing equipment.

Business group users must also be able to make calls to, or to receivecalls from, users outside the private network. Such calls are likely tobe charged on a per call basis and the gateway chosen should be such asto minimize call charges. The business group application module of apublic exchange can be expected to be supporting users belonging to manyseparate groups. Operators may be shared by more than one businessgroup; however, calls between members of different groups must gothrough a gateway and should not be allowed to interact directly.

The telecommunications services to be provided by a business groupapplication module have been discussed above and the principaldefinitions for those services come from standards documents. Each andevery service incorporated into an application module must behave in thesame way regardless of whether the parties involved are located on thesame or on different physical nodes in the same network. Therefore, whenthe network transparency of services is considered, the particular usertype invoking the service will, in many cases, need to be considered.

The generic system level architecture for each application module in anexchange, arranged in accordance with the system of the presentinvention, including the exemplary business group being discussedherein, employs the shared use of resource modules. The accessapplication modules own the line access hardware along with somesoftware associated with the interface. They have no knowledge orunderstanding of any of the services supported. The resource modulessupply general support facilities for all the application modules in theexchange. The transaction manager resource module provides commonfacilities to all application modules to assist in the transport ofmessages. It establishes links between software components in differentapplication modules. The connection resource module owns the switchinghardware and other pooled resources such as tone receivers,multijunctures and the like, which enables the application modules touse those resources and resolves any conflicts and demands for the sameconnection or resource. Other resource modules, such as chargingsupport, operation and maintenance support, analysis support, timesupervision support, and the like, will also be employed in assistanceof the application modules. The resource modules in the present systemcan be seen as a set of tools wherein each application module selectsand uses what is needed from the tool box for its specifictelecommunication application. The resource modules are accessed throughtheir interfaces which are strictly backwards compatible. The resourcemodules provide a platform to support the design of telecommunicationsapplications, i.e., the application modules. The different components ofboth the application modules and resource modules are implemented insoftware blocks.

Network Communications

Since the provision of a telecommunications service necessarily involvesmore than one object, it is necessary to consider how the differentobjects communicate with one another. Such communication is accomplishedby means of protocols.

There are basically three types of communication protocols within thearchitecture:

1. Intra-network communication protocols;

2. Internal protocols;

3. Inter-network communication protocols.

The intra-network protocols involve communication between intelligentobjects forming part of the same network. Protocol use is needed tosupport all the services provided by its network type. The informationto be carried between application modules includes all of theinformation that has to be carried between separate nodes of the samenetwork type. Therefore, the protocol used between application modulesis a superset of the protocol defined for use between nodes, forexample, the lower levels will follow the Q900 series recommendations.Since there is currently no agreed international standards for thenetworking of business group services as standard, such as the open U.K.DPNSS standard of information, flow can be used in such instances.

The purpose of the internal protocols is to communicate between allwhich objects required in order to support the telephony services. Suchprotocols should be capable of conveying:

1. information elements of only internal significance, e.g., connectionreference point;

2. information elements needed to support a basic telephony service; and

3. envelopes for information elements of significance only toparticularly sophisticated signalling systems.

The inter-network communication network protocol comprises standarddigital protocols used in telecommunication systems. Those such astelephone user part (TUP), integrated services user part (ISUP),national user part (NUP), etc. can be employed as they are currentlyused between nodes of a telecommunication network today comprisingseparate switches. A gateway service module is used for each type ofapplication module and communicates with the application network for theother network types via transaction support.

Software Module Communications

An important aspect of the system of the present invention is theprovision of effective communications between the various softwaremodules. The communications between application modules is networkoriented while the communications between application modules andresource modules is system oriented. The network oriented communicationsis in the form of protocols which are specific and well defined rulesfor controlling information transfer between systems, such as telephoneexchanges. Protocols are made up of sequences of messages with specificformats and meanings, e. g., TUP, MFCR2, TCAP, etc. FIGS. 10 and 11illustrate communications between a pair of exchanges according to theCCITT signal system no. 7 telephony user part (TUP) signaling protocol.FIG. 11 shows that the message transfer part (MTP) corresponds toapproximately layers 1-3 and that the user part (UP) represents theremaining layers 4-7. Examples of user parts include telephony user part(TUP), integrated services digital network user part (ISDN UP), etc. Aprotocol that can communicate with other exchanges is documented in theform of a protocol description (PD) which describes all layers 1-7,e.g., which MTP (e.g., as exemplified in the yellow and red books of theC.C.I.T.T.), the format of messages in the user part, coding ofinformation fields, procedures, etc.

As discussed above, numerous ones of the existing network protocols mayprovide communications between application modules in accordance withthe system of the present invention. Set forth below is a listcontaining illustrative representative protocols which may be employedin particular embodiments of the present system along with a referenceto the C.C.I.T.T. documentation thereof which is hereby incorporated byreference herein.

    ______________________________________                    C. C. I. T. T.    PROTOCOL        RECOMMENDATION NO.    ______________________________________    MFC-R2          Q. 310-Q. 490    TUP             Q. 72X    ISUP            Q. 76X    D-CHANNEL       Q. 93X (LAYER 2: Q. 92X)    TCAP + SCCP     Q. 771-Q. 795    CCITT NO. 7     Q. 700-Q. 716    CCITT NO. 6     Q. 251-Q. 300    ______________________________________

To illustrate how signalling is performed in an exchange structuredaccording to the application modularity concept, FIG. 12 shows a callgoing through such an exchange. The application module to applicationmodule protocol illustrated in exchange B of FIG. 12 is an internal typeof protocol, i.e., one which is only used for communication betweenapplication modules located in the same exchange. Instead of using themessage transfer part (MTP) as an end-to-end carrier for layers 1-3, theapplication module protocol makes use of the services offered by thetransaction manager resource module included within the system of thepresent invention. The application module to application module protocolis documented and provides specific formats of messages, coding ofinformation fields, and other procedures which are specific to thatprotocol covering layers 4-7. Within these protocols there may be anumber of specific and different application module to applicationmodule protocols.

The differences between an "external" protocol functional specification,e.g., ISUP, and a "internal" protocol functional specification, e.g.,NIIP, include the following:

1. An external protocol is required to carry the data concerning thephysical resources involved, e.g., PCM channels, and how those resourcesare tied to the calls. This requires that operation and maintenanceprocedures and messages are included in order to handle these resources,e.g., blocking, etc. Such is not the case for internal protocols, asthere are no physical resources being used, only logical circuits.

2. The length of messages, message structures and coding of informationmay differ between internal and external protocols since they are usingdifferent carriers for the layers 1-3, i.e., the MTP services or thetransaction services.

3. Internal protocols may require additional information regarding, forexample, session references for charging output, logic circuitreferences, etc., that are not required within an external protocol.

Some of the common elements between external and internal protocols isthat both should be able to satisfy the following:

1. Both should handle "hostile" environments since things occasionallygo wrong and messages disappear and, therefore, require timers to guardagainst this possibility;

2. Both should not reflect the internal structure of the applicationmodules or the structure of particular manufacturers, hardware;

3. Neither should assume a specific user of the protocol; and

4. Both should be "complete" in that they cover all layers 1-7.

The application module to resource module communication is structured inthe form of a system interface seen from the application module's pointof view, i.e., both elements of the communication are contained withinthe same environment, i.e., within a common control system. Applicationmodule protocols are peer-to-peer communication, while applicationmodule to resource module interfaces are client to server oriented. Theuser interface to a resource module may consist of PLEX signals and theinterface is described in an interface specification. A resource modulehas an identical interface to all AMs/RMs which does not allow anyunique signals to be sent from an RM. In order to perform a service oneRM can call upon the services of other RMs. FIG. 12 illustrates anexample of an application module using the interface, and therefore, theservices from a transaction manager resource module. The followingpoints should be observed when structuring the layout/look of theresource module interfaces:

(a) Geographical distribution is not a factor to be considered since theresource modules can only be accessed within the same system;

(b) Different manufacturers of equipment are not a factor to beconsidered since the resource modules are all contained within a singlesystem;

(c) Different users are a factor to be considered in that resourcemodules are used by different application modules and offer differentphysical services to those application modules; and

(d) A client/server relationship should be maintained between thecommunication with the resource modules.

In documenting the interfaces to be used within the system of thepresent invention, such interfaces can be specified by software signalscomprising the messages and coding information. Each resource module mayoffer a number of different services, there may be a number of differentinterfaces. For example, the current design rules in the messagetransfer parts of conventional protocols are good examples of suchapplication module/resource module interfaces. Thus, such interfaces canthen be specified along with the number of software signals needed toperform the service offered by the resource module. One such interfacemay include the current design rules for using the message transfer partservices within the common channel signalling subsystem (CCS) of theAXE-10 SPC switching system.

Access Structure Within Application Module Networks

The term "access" is used herein for the means needed by a user to reachthe user services that are subscribed to in the communications system.The following discussion will identify these means in the form ofcomponents or functional entities using an object oriented approach.Such an approach supports rapid development in the required accesses byallowing a clear separation between technology and functionality,between access and user services, and between traffic handling andoperations and maintenance. The components identified define an accessobject structure which can be used as a base when defining the accessproduct structure.

In the access area of the present system there are two accessapplication modules, an analog access application module (AAM) and adigital access application module (IAM). In structuring the accesswithin the present system certain basic principles are followed:

1. Access and user services are separated and, thus, no subscriberknowledge, subscriber data or user services are part of the accessapplication modules.

2. Physical distribution of the access application modules is enabled bya network protocol between the access application modules and theservice application modules.

3. Physical distribution of switches within the same switching system ishidden from the switch users. This is achieved by defining acommunications interface to a connection manager resource module whichgoverns the different switches in the switching system.

4. Functionality and technology are separated from one another. That is,technology, i.e., the low layer (OSI layer 1-2) functionality isindependent of the high level functionality, such as user servicesimplemented in the telecommunications network, by defining low layerprotocols carrying no high level knowledge. This enables reuse of thetechnology by a variety of high level functionality.

Referring now to FIG. 13, it is illustrated that a telecom network 200includes a number of distinct functional units in order to perform itsintended purpose. In order to perform a telecommunication service for auser the network 200 includes an access component 201, a user serviceentity (USE) 202 and a network service entity (NSE) 203. The user mayinclude either a human being, an application program or other userswhich seek to make use of the user services that are subscribed towithin the telecom network 200. The access 201 provides the means neededby the user to reach the user services which are subscribed to. The userservice entity 202 offers and executes services to the user that arebeing subscribed to by handling service interactions, charges to theentity that has subscribed to the services and the like. The networkservice entity 203 provides information transfer capability andservices, for example, provides bearer service and capabilities asdescribed by the CCITT in recommendation I.210.

Referring next to FIG. 14, there is shown how the service access thatthe service application module 204 employs in the system of the presentinvention includes the user service entity 202 as well as the networkservice entity 203. The service application module 204 is in turnaccessed by the user through an access application module 201. FIG. 15shows the different physical access products on a switching networklevel and illustrates that users may access a switch 205 within aswitching system 206 either directly via the centrally locatedsubscriber switch (SSS) 207 or remotely through a remote subscriberswitch 208 and a transmission network 209. FIG. 16 illustrates that auser may access any number of versions of switches 206a-206c within aswitching system 206 through a transmission network 209 employingstandard protocols via an independent access product 210, such as anaccess multiplex concentrator (AMC). Such a product 210 is in itself ahomogeneous switching system that can serve other homogeneous switchessystems with access services on a switching network level regardless ofwhich of the particular switching systems 206a-206c is being accessed.

FIG. 17 illustrates a functional division of the telecommunicationnetwork and when implemented in a physical network, such functionalcomponents are mapped onto the physical components comprising thenetwork. In principle, the functional components should be independentof the physical reality into which they are implemented and vice versa.Thus, the approach of the system of the present invention is to separatethe functionality from the physical hardware used to implement thetelecommunications network.

Within the access portion of a network, the functional parts are to bemapped onto the physical reality embodied in the different physicalaccess products, such as a remote subscriber switch (RSS), an accessmultiplex concentrator, an access multiplexer (AMX), and a subscriberline circuit (SLC-96). One example of a mapping of the functional partsonto physical access products is shown in the illustration of FIG. 17.This diagram separates the functional parts 211 from the physicalcomponents 212 and illustrate access being mapped upon the severalphysical access products 210a-210d while the user service entity 202 ismapped upon the products 210c and 210d, which can perform that functionas well as the group switch (GS) 210e. The network service entity 203 ismapped upon the group switch 210e. The discussion immediately belowfocuses on the functional decomposition of the access 201 to the system.

Referring to FIG. 18, access 201 is shown as interfacing with a serviceapplication module 204, which includes the user service entity 202 andthe network service entity 203. The access 201 comprises terminalequipment (TE) 213 with which the user directly connects, which is, inturn, interfaced with network access (NA) 214. As far as accessfunctionality is concerned, no subscriber knowledge, subscriber data oruser services form part of the access. The desired flexibility,stability and quality of the access cannot be achieved if a mixture offunctionality, as illustrated above in connection with FIG. 17, isapplied to the access modules. In nearly all cases there is an openinterface to the user. Thus, the user needs terminal equipment 213, suchas telephones, PCs, etc., in order to adapt to the terminal equipmentinterface. In addition, the network access (NA) 214 connects theterminal equipment to the telecommunications network, for example, atthe telephone jack or at the network termination. The network access 214serves to provide the functionality needed for the terminal equipment toreach the user services desired.

The network access 214 may be decomposed into functional component asshown in FIG. 19. There the network access 214 bridges the gap betweenthe terminal equipment interface and the switching network by includingline 215 made up of line channel (LCH) 216, forming part of thetransmission network, with a subscriber line interface (SLI) 217. Theline 215 provides the physical connection between the terminal equipment213 and the switching network to carry the terminal equipment interfacebetween the terminal equipment and the switching network. It therebyenables physical distribution of the terminal equipment 213 and isusually implemented as a transmission facility. The line channel (LCH)216 is a subset of the line's transmission capability aimed at dedicateduse between the terminal equipment and the switching network and therebyenables multiple uses of the line 215. The subscriber line interface 217connects the line 215 to the switching network, usually at the maindistribution frame (MDF) and thereby provides the functionality neededfor the line 215 to reach the user services. FIG. 20 illustrates theaccess related parts in the user service entity (or service applicationmodule 204). In the user service entity 204, the access is modelled byagents for the terminal equipment 213, the line 215 and the line channel216 within the line 215. The terminal equipment agent 218, the lineagent 221 and the line channel agent 222 hide the physical distributionof lines and terminal equipment in the access for the rest of the userservice entity. In addition, the user is represented by an agent 219,which provides the means for finding the user services and handles thecharging matters for the user. In this way, mobility, moveability andsemifixed subscribers are implemented in a user service entity throughthe handling of the connections between the user agent 219, the terminalequipment agent (TEA) 218 and the line agent 221, including the linechannel agent (LCA) 222. The user agent 219 is the user, srepresentative in the telecommunication network and provides the meansfor finding the user services and handling charging matters for theuser. The line agent 221 represents the line 215 within a user serviceentity 204. The terminal equipment agent 218 represents the terminalequipment in the user service entity 204, while the line channel agent222 represents the channel on a line within a user service entity 204.

Referring next to FIG. 21 there is shown a functional decomposition ofthe subscriber line interface 217 serving to provide access for aplurality of analog and digital lines 225a-225d to service applicationmodules 204a and 204b. As discussed above, each of the serviceapplication modules include user service entities 202a-202b, which aremade up of terminal equipment agents 218a-218b, user agents 219a-219band line agents 221a-221b. The subscriber line interface 217 includes ananalog access application module 226 and a digital access applicationmodule 227. The incoming analog line 225a is coupled directly to theanalog access application module 226 while the incoming digital line225c is coupled directly to the digital access module 227. The incomingline 225b is coupled through a remote terminal (RT) 228a and a systemline (SL) 229a to the analog access application module 226. The incomingline 225d is also connected through a remote terminal 228b and a systemline (SL) 229b, forming a remote terminal interface, to the digitalaccess application module 227. As shown in FIG. 21, in the access thereare two access application modules 226 and 227, one providing analogaccess 226 and one providing digital access 227. The particular type ofaccess given is determined by the type of terminal equipment/remoteterminal interface, i.e., whether it is analog or digital, that is usingthe lines/system lines directly connected to the access applicationmodule. The access application modules 226 and 227 translate the accessprotocols used on the terminal equipment/remote terminal interfaces tosemantical network protocols (NP) 229 to the line agents 221a-221b ofthe user service entities 202a-202b in the service application modules204a and 204b. By use of the agents for terminal equipment, lines andline channels in the user service entities 202a-202b in the serviceapplication modules 204a and 204b and through having formalized networkprotocols to the access application modules, the physical distributionof lines and terminal equipment can be handled entirely by the accessapplication modules 226 and 227 and be thereby completely hidden to theservice application modules 204a and 204b. That is, the serviceapplication modules 204a and 204b do not have to consider where in theaccess the line/terminal equipment is connected as is the case inpresent architectures in use today. However, the manner in which OSIlayers 3-7 of the network protocol to the access application modules 226and 227 are handled will depend very much upon the particular servicesimplemented in the telecommunication network. That is, new and changedservices are likely to affect the network protocols 229 used tocommunicate between the access application modules 226 and 227 and theservice application modules 204a and 204b.

With specific reference to FIG. 21, the remote terminals 228a and 228badapt the terminal equipment interface used on the lines 225a-225d for adigital/analog access to a remote terminal (RT) interface used on asystem line 229a-229b to the analog and digital application modules 226and 227. The remote terminal interface itself may be either analog ordigital, for example, interfaces such as IMUX, RSM, IDLC, SLC-96, etc.The system line 229a-229b provides the physical connections between theremote terminals 228a-228b and the analog/digital access applicationmodules 226 and 227, for example, as a transmission facility connectedto the main distribution frame (MDF). The system lines 229a-229b carrythe remote terminal interface between the remote terminals and theanalog/digital application modules 226 and 227, thereby enablingefficient use of transmission equipment. The analog access module 226provides the functionality needed for the connected line/system linesused for carrying analog TE/RT interfaces needed to reach the userservices and the user service entity 202a. The analog access applicationmodule 226 translates the protocols used on the TE/RT interfaces tosemantical network protocols used in 229 between the analog accessapplication module 226 and the line agent 221a of the user serviceentity 202a in the service application module 204a. Similarly, thedigital access application module 227 provides the functionality neededfor the connected lines/system lines for carrying digital TE/RTinterfaces necessary to reach the user service entity 202b in theservice application module 204b. This module translates the protocolsused in the TE/RT interfaces to semantical network protocols used in 229between the digital application module 227 and the line agent 221b inthe user service entity 202b of the service application module 204b.

One reason for having a network protocol to the access applicationmodules 204a and 204b is that it will enable physical distribution ofterminal equipment and lines in the switching network. In this way, theaccess application module can be mapped upon a physical access productin another switching system than the user service entity, as shown inFIGS. 22 and 23. In FIG. 22, a switching network 201 includes aswitching system 206 comprising an analog access applicationmodule/digital access application module 226/227 in communication withthe user service entity 202 of a service application module 204 via anetwork protocol 229. Similarly, in FIG. 23, a switching network 201includes two switching systems 206a and 206b, one of which includes theanalog access application module/digital access application module226/227, while the other includes the user service entity 204 within theservice application module 204. In this circumstance, the access module226/227 communicates with the user service entity in the serviceapplication module 204 by means of the same network protocol 229, thistime connected through a transmission network 209 rather than directlybetween the application modules themselves. Both switching systems 206aand 206b would also include interfaces toward the intermediatetransmission network 209 in order to implement the network protocol 229and communicate therethrough.

It should be noted that there is a difference between implementation ofthe access product interface and implementation of the physical accessproduct itself. The physical access product is dependent upon theswitching system in which it is implemented, while the access productinterface is independent of such a switching system.

The subject matter of PCT patent application Ser. No. PCT/SE 91/00470,entitled "Stored Program Controlled Digital Public Exchange," filed inthe name of Mats Ohlstedt on even date herewith and assigned to theassignee of the present invention, is hereby incorporated by referenceherein. This application discloses subject matter related to onepossible implementation of an access application module in accordancewith one aspect of the system of the present invention.

Referring next to FIG. 24, there is shown a functional decomposition ofthe analog/digital access application module as well as thedecompositions of the line entrance (LE) 231 and a connection manager145, illustrating their close relationship to one another. Asillustrated, the analog/digital access application module 226/227includes a line entrance (LE) 231 and a line handler (LH) 232. The lineentrance 231 comprises a main distribution frame/automatic cross connect(MDF/ACC) 233, as well as a line terminal (LT) 234 and a signallingterminal (ST) 235. A connection manager resource module 145, forexample, including access to a time switch 156g, a remoteterminal/juncture terminal 156h, a group switch 156j and other hardware156k, provides connection services to both the line handler 232 and tothe service application module 204. The line entrance 231 provides thephysical medium that connects the system line 229 to the analog accessapplication module/digital access application module 226/227. Thisphysical medium handles the conversion between the electrical values onthe line/system line 229 and the internal representation(electrical/logical) in the switching system itself. It also subtractsand supports the signalling part in the TE/RT interface. That is, ithandles roughly layers 1 and 2 in the OSI protocol for the communicationwith the TE/RT. The functionality of the line entrance 231 isimplemented in the MDF/ACC 223, the LT 234 (which handles roughly theOSI layer 1) and the ST 235 (which handles roughly OSI layer 2). Theline handler 232 provides the means needed for the line entrance 231 toreach the user services in the user service entity 202 of the serviceapplication module 204. It coordinates signalling and line handlingactivities such as seizure of lines and line channels, and also ordersthe connection manager 145 to set up signalling connections between theline terminals 234 and signalling terminals 235. The connection manager145 handles the physical connection, i.e., the paths, in the switchingsystem and in the process of conducting these activities, handles thevarious switch components such as the time switch 156g, the remoteterminal/juncture terminal 156h, the group switch 156j and others. Inthe access application module 226/227, low layer protocols are definedto the line entrance 231 with respect to line terminals 234 andsignalling terminals 235. In this sense, the line entrance 231 clearlyis a candidate to be implemented as a resource module. In such cases,for example, market variations would affect mainly the line handler 232.For the connection manager, low layer protocols should be defined to thedifferent switches used, for example, to the time switch 156g and groupswitch 156j. In general, the technology, i.e., the low layer OSI, layer1-2, functionality should be independent of high level functionalitysuch as user services implemented in the telecommunication network.Technology could be separated from the high level functionality throughdefining low layer protocols (LLP) carrying no high level knowledge.These low layer protocols would only be affected by changes intechnology and, in this way, the same technology could be reused by avariety of high level functionality. Lower level protocols 236 are usedbetween the line entrance 231 and the line handler 236 as well asbetween the connection manager 145 and the respective switch elements156.

In FIG. 21, the fundamental principals behind the decomposition of theaccess is set forth as follows:

(a) The access product area is allocated to access application modulesto cope with increasing access functionality. No subscriber knowledge,subscriber data or user services is part of the access applicationmodule. That is, there is a clear separation between access and userservices;

(b) Physical distribution of the access application modules is enabledthrough network protocols to the user service entity;

(c) The physical distribution of switches is hidden to the switch usersby the connection manager used as global resources in the switchingsystem; and

(d) Technology such as line terminals, signalling terminals and switchescan be used as global resources through low layer protocols carrying nohigh level knowledge. That is, there is a separation between thefunctionality and the technology.

Referring next to FIG. 25, the functional decomposition of the linehandler 232 is shown. There it is shown how an SL 229a and line 229b areinterfaced through a line entrance 231 and the line handler 232 to theservice application module 204. The line handler 232 includes a systemline owner (SLO) 242 which includes a system line channel owner (SLCO)243 and which is connected to a remote terminal handler (RTH) 241. TheSL 229a is both directly connected to a line owner 245 as well asindirectly connected through the system line owner 242. The line owner(LO) 245 includes a line channel owner (LCO) 246 and is similarlyconnected to a terminal equipment handler (THE) 244. The line 229b isconnected through a pair of protocol owners (PO) 247 and 248 to a callhandler (CAH) 249, and a line juncture (LJ) 251 into the line agent (LA)221 of the user service entity (USE) 202 of the service applicationmodule 204. The line agent 221 and the call handler 249 are both coupledto the connection manager resource module 145.

The line entrance 231 provides the physical medium that connects theline 229b or the system line 229a to the analog access applicationmodule/digital access application module. This medium handles theconversion between the electrical values on the line/system line and theinternal representation (electrical/logical) in the switching system. Itsupports the signalling part in the TE/RT interface by handling roughlylayers 1 and 2 in the OSI protocol for the communication with the TE/RT.The remote terminal handler 241 handles remote terminal data usuallyused for maintenance activities. The system line owner 242 provides thelogic required to handle the system line toward the remote terminal andhandles, for example, system line channels, support system linemaintenance, etc. The system line channel owner 243 owns a channel onthe system line. The protocol owners 247 and 248 perform the OSI layer 3functionality needed in the switching system for the communication withthe TE/RT. The terminal equipment handler 244 handles terminal equipmentdata such as terminal equipment identification data. The line owner 245provides the logic required to handle the line toward the terminalequipment. It handles, for example, line channels, support linemaintenance, etc., either directly through the line entrance orindirectly through seizure of the system line resources needed. The linechannel owner 246 owns a channel on the line. The call handler 249coordinates protocol and line handling activities, such as seizure oflines and line channels. It associates appropriate protocol owners, forexample, protocols C and D, to the line owners. It also orders theconnection manager resource module 145 to set up connections required toassociate the protocol owners with the line owners. The line juncture251 provides the means needed for the call handler 249 to reach the userservices in the user service entity 202.

Referring next to FIG.26, the functional decomposition of the lineentrance 231 is illustrated along with the way in which it providescoupling between the SL/line 229 and the other components. The lineentrance 231 includes the main distribution frame/automatic crossconnect (MDF/ACC) 233, a line terminal (LT) 234 and a signallingterminal (ST) 235. Both the line terminal 234 and the signallingterminal 235 are connected into the switch 156 which is, in turn,connected through the connection manager resource module 145 to the callhandler 245. In addition, the line terminal 234 is connected to the callhandler 249 through the system line channel owner and/or line owner242/245, while the signalling terminal (ST) 235 is connected to the callhandler 249 through the protocol owner 247. The line terminal 234handles the equipment which performs the conversion between theelectrical values on the physical wire toward the TE/RT and theelectrical values in the switching system, i.e., roughly OSI layer 1.The signalling terminal handles the equipment which, for thecommunications with the TE/RT, performs the conversion between theelectrical values on the physical wires toward the TE/RT and the logicalvalues in the switching system, i.e., roughly OSI layer 2. Thesignalling terminal can be connected to the line/system line 229 throughthe MDF/ACC 233, for example, as SE-EQM in the AXE-10 switching system,the line terminal 234, for example, as ST-ET for the primary rate accessin AXE-10 switching system, or the switch 156, for example, as the 2B1Qbasic access in AXE-10 switching system. The main distributionframe/automatic cross connect (MDF/ACC) 233 connects the line/systemline 229 to the line terminal 234 and/or signalling terminal 235. Theswitch 156 performs the actual physical switching activities and isimplemented as a group switch, time switch, etc. The line terminals 234and signalling terminals 235 and the MDF/ACC 233 have dedicatedmaintenance.

Referring next to FIG. 27, one of the main tasks for the line handler232 within each of the analog access application modules 226 and digitalaccess application modules 227 is to provide the means for lines215a-215g and terminal equipment 213a-213g to reach the user services inappropriate user service entities 202a-202d within the respectiveservice application modules 121-125. In principal, each piece ofterminal equipment 213a-213g may be connected to different user serviceentities 202a-202d which means that the line handlers 232 must be ableto read messages on a line and terminal equipment basis. In addition,the required channel within the line may be indicated, which means thatthe semantics of the network protocols between the access applicationmodules 226 and 227 and the user service entities, the line, terminalequipment and the channel within the line are needed as keys, asillustrated in FIG. 27. It is up to the user service entities 202a-202dto reject user services not supported by the network protocol to aspecific line. For example, each type of access could have the possibleuser categories defined in the user service entities 202a-202d.

Application Module System Specification

The system level description specifies the components of an applicationmodule, such as the business group application, and their interworkings.Referring to FIG. 28, there is shown the basic implementation structureof a business group application module. The business group module itself123 provides the implementation in software of a business groupcommunications application within an exchange. It contains the servicelogic for business communication in which a call requires a minimum ofthree object instances. Typically, there will be one network serviceentity instance 137 linking two others of either the user or terminatingtypes 135 and 136. Line entrances 148-149 comprise line access hardwarewith some software associated with the interface. Such line entranceshave no knowledge or understanding of any of the services supported. Thetransaction manager resource module 146 provides common facilities toall application modules to assist in the transport of signals. There arebasically four types of communication links: those between serviceentities 135-137, those between accesses 148-149 and service entities135-137 and those involving use of the transaction manager 146.

The transaction manager resource module 146 is a significant element inthe implementation of the application modules and includes the functionof being able to seize an application instance. One access type maysupport more than one than one service and hence, it must be able to belinked to more than one application type. The access will not know whatservice it supports and when the access detects a service request, itwill send a seize message to the transaction manager. The transactionmanager will know the source of the signal and use it to identify theappropriate data held for the device. That will identify the applicationtype for which the new instance is to be seized. Similarly, if oneapplication module needs to create an instance of a differentapplication module type, it will also use the same mechanism.

As mentioned above in connection with FIG. 28, this diagram shows thesoftware components involved in establishing a call within a businessgroup. Within each application module 123, each call will normallyinvolve three objects instances, two instances of the user or trunkservice entity, one each for the two sides of the call, and those twoinstances will be linked by an instance of the network service entity.In addition, a number of the facilities provided by resource modules andaccesses will be used in a call.

The network service entity 137 object type exists to link, for instance,two instances of user service entity or trunk service entity 135-136 ina simple call. It connects to any of them with the same standardprotocol which maps simply into the inter-exchange protocol. The userservice entity instances originating and terminating a call have thesame interface to the network service entity regardless of whether theyare on the same or separate exchanges. This ensures that services workin the same way across a network as across an exchange. The user serviceentity object type includes a user agent, which communicates with theuser via the access which controls the hardware interface linked to theuser's equipment. It also includes the logic for the user services. Thetrunk service entity object type includes logical functions forcontrolling intra-network links and controls the trunks via the trunkline entrance which controls the hardware interfaces to those trunks.Line entrances are used to provide a variety of interface relatedfunctions. Resource modules, including a standard transaction manager146 and connection manager 145, are functions which are needed withinthe system. The transaction manager 146 is used for communicationbetween service entities, even though its use is only mandatory betweenapplication modules and between application modules and accesses.

It will not be uncommon for business group calls to involve more thanone application module type since any calls to the PSTN or even a callto a different business group will take this form. An additionalcomponent which would be employed in such calls is the gateway serviceentity (not shown). This object type provides gateways to other networktypes and is concerned with conversion from the internal protocol to theprotocol needed to access the other application types. It is alsoconcerned with charging. Finally, a business group management entityserves the purpose of managing the business group services.

External requirements to the business group application module areprovided by the support platform it accesses which are available. Theaccess is on the line access hardware with some software associated withthe interfaces; however, they have no knowledge or understanding of anyof the services provided. An instance of an access type will be seizedfor each interface of the relevant type configured. For each type, thenumber of instances equals the number of units of the relevant typeconfigured. The function of all access types include:

(a) line terminating functions;

(b) equipment maintenance functions; and

(c) communication with appropriate user service entity type.

Each of these are associated with terminating equipment.

The resource modules within the system are an integral part of providingthe support facilities necessary to enable the application module tofunction. The transaction manager resource module provides commonfacilities to all application modules to assist in the transport ofsignals. It establishes links between software components of differentapplication modules and between accesses and application modules. Theconnection manager application resource module owns the switchinghardware and other pool resources such as tone receivers,multijunctures, and the like. It enables the application modules to usethese resources and resolves any conflicting demands for the sameconnections or resources. The operation and maintenance resource moduleis used to assist in the service management functions performed by thebusiness group subscriber. The charging manager resource module isnecessary because all calls internal to the business group will not becharged on a per call basis; however, calls going outside the businessgroup can be expected to generate a call charged to someone. The gatewayservice module, therefore, relies upon the charging manager resourcemodule for some of the generic charging functions.

The network service entity object type exists to link two instances of auser service entity, trunk service entity or a gateway service entitytype in a simple call. It connects to any of them with the same standardprotocol which maps simply to the inter-exchange protocol. The userservice entity instances originating and terminating a call have thesame interface to a network service entity regardless of whether theyare on the same or separate exchanges. This ensures that services willwork in the same way across the network as across an exchange. Thenetwork service entity includes two main components: the call agent anda directory agent. The call agent exists for the duration of a call toconnect the two sides while the directory agent receives the B-numberdigits and, when the number is complete, returns a user trunk or gatewayservice entity type and where appropriate, an index number. Thedirectory agent will exist at each node and provide a uniform interfaceto the call agent regardless of where the directory information isaccessed from.

The user service entity object type includes a user agent whichcommunicates with the user via the access which controls the hardwareinterface linked to the user's equipment. It includes the logic for theuser services. This object type also includes call originating andterminating agents.

User agents exist for each user type within the application module beingimplemented. Each of the user types and a separate agent related to thefunctions required of the following user types in a business groupapplication module would be provided: operator user agent, ordinaryemployee user agent, manager/executive user agent, secretary user agent,emergency phone user agent, service support point help line user agent,mobile user-paged user agent, mobile user-cordless user agent, mobileuser-roaming user agent, homework user agent, hotline user agent, basickey set user agent, executive key set user agent, visitor's phone useragent, simple ACD answer point user agent, ACD agent user agent, ACDsupervisor user agent, and ACD manager user agent.

The trunk service entity object type includes logical functions forcontrolling intra-network links and controls the trunks via the trunkline entrance which controls the hardware interfaces to those trunks.The network service entity identifies a route, and there are logicalroute related functions, such as alternative routing and validity checkson the link. There are also functions related to the trunk type and itsfunctional capabilities.

Call originating or terminating agents normally combine an objectbetween the user agent and call agent. This includes several types,including a call termination agent. There may be services invokedagainst the directory number which do not require the state of the callagent to be investigated, an example of which is immediate diversion.Even if there are no such services invoked, it is necessary to discoverwhether an instance of the appropriate call agent has been invoked for aparticular user and if so, deliver the call attempt to it. A hunt ordistribution group is registered and this module searches for a freegroup member and links to it. There is likely to be more than oneversion of such a group agent. Finally, with regard to queuing, callsare queued for several reasons; for example, operator or ACD services.The queue is held by this module.

Gateway service entity object types provide gateways to other networktypes. For each intra-network type protocol, there is an object whichperforms charging and protocol conversion functions.

General Implementation of Application Modules

In the application modularity concept inherent in the software structureof the present invention, the system is divided into applicationspecific areas. As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 29, the APT portion 103 ofthe system is divided into a plurality of application modules which aredesigned to incorporate the functionality necessary to implement aparticular type of telecommunications service. For example, the APT 103may include an electronic key telephone application (EKTS) 121, a publicswitched telecommunication network application (PSTN) 122, a businessgroup application 123, an automatic call distribution application (ACD)124, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) application 125, anda mobile switching center (MSC) application 126. Each of the applicationmodules 121-126 comprises a small telecommunication software system inits own right providing all of the service, traffic handling andcharging requirements to implement telephone communication services fora specific type of end user. This modularity of applications reduces thesoftware design problem to a manageable size and allows the differentapplications to be designed independently of one another and without anysubstantial coordination between irrespective module designs due to anelimination of conflicting solutions and requirements between therespective application module designs. Each of the application modules121-126 are networked within the APT 103 by providing specific networkprotocols for communication between respective ones of the applicationmodules. For example, the PSTN module 122 may communicate with both theEKTS module 121 and the business group module 123 by means of therespective MFC protocols 127 and 128. The business group applicationmodule 123 in turn communicates with the ACD module 124 by means of theDPNSS protocol 129 and with the MSC module 126 by means of the I-420protocol 131. Similarly, the ISDN application module 125 communicateswith the PSTN application module 122 via a TUP protocol 132 and with theEKTS module 121 via a I-420 protocol 133.

The networking of the software between the application modules 121-126allows the creation of virtual switches within a single exchange in thesame way that individual physical switches are interconnected with oneanother in a physical network. This arrangement produces a completesystem solution in which each application module 121-126 is designed tomeet the needs of its own users and in which the software structure isoptimized for that particular application. Such an arrangementeliminates the need to specify or design telecommunication functions ina way that will work in all possible cases, in all possibleapplications, and for all possible users as is the case with currentdesigns. Application modularity also reduces the need for theaccumulation of total knowledge with regard to a function during thepreparation of a requirements specification and design as well as leadsto design solutions which are optimized from a processor loading pointof view. In addition, the present software organization enables the useof new technologies, solutions and functionality in the same system asthe existing software so that new solutions can be tested in actual usewithout affecting the entire system. This characteristic leads tofurther improvements in lead time, design cost and quality of product.

Referring next to FIG. 28, there is shown a block diagram illustratingan architectural overview of the way in which an exemplary serviceapplication module, such as a business group (BG) application module123, interfaces with other application modules and resource moduleswithin the resource module platform 104 in order to complete a callbetween two users within a business group. Within the business groupapplication module 123, each call will normally involve three objectinstances of the user or trunk service entity types (USE or TSE) 135 and136, one for each of the two sides of the call. These two instances, 135and 136, are linked by an instance of the network service entity (NSE)137. In addition, a number of facilities provided by resource modulesand accesses will be employed in interfaces with the business groupapplication module 123. For example, the A party user 138 will be linkedto the BG module 123 by either a digital access application module (IAM)139 or an analog access application module (AAM) 141, while the B partyuser 142 will also be linked to the BG application module 123 by meansof a digital access application module 143 or an analog applicationmodule 144. Each of the service entities 135-137 are connected with aplurality of different resource modules located within the resourcemodule platform 104. For example, the connection manager resource module145, the transaction manager resource module 146 and other supportmanager resource modules 147 provide the necessary support services forthe user and network service entities 135-137. Similarly, the connectionand transaction resource modules 145 and 146 are interfaced with analogaccess resource modules 148 and digital access resource modules 149.

Within the business group application module 123, the user serviceentity 135 or 136 includes a user agent which communicates with the uservia the access application modules 139-144, which control the hardwareinterfaces linked to the user's telecommunication equipment. The useragent of the user service entity includes the logic for providing theuser's services. Similarly, the trunk service entity 135 or 136 includesthe logical functions for controlling intra-network links. It controlsthe trunks via the trunk line entrances which control the hardwareinterfaces to those trunks. The various line entrances are used toprovide a variety of interface related functions.

The network service entity 137 is an object type which exists to link,for example, two instances of user service entity or trunk serviceentity types in a simple call. It connects to any of them with the samestandard protocol which maps simply into the inter-exchange protocol.The user service entity instances originating and terminating a callhave the same interface to the network service entity (NSE) regardlessof whether they are on the same or separate exchanges. This ensures thatservices will work in the same way across a network as across anindividual exchange. The resource modules 145-147 provide standardtransaction and connection management functions. The transaction managerresource module 146 is optional for communication between serviceentities 135-137 and mandatory between separate application modules andbetween application modules and accesses 148-149.

While FIG. 28 illustrates a call taking place between two users ortrunks within the business group application module, similar entitiesare necessary in calls to be completed between a business groupapplication module and another different application module, forexample, the PSTN application module 122. In such a situation, anadditional entity not specifically shown in FIG. 25, and referred to asa gateway services entity (GSE), is required and this object typeprovides gateways to other network types. Its primary concern is withconversion from the internal protocol within the application module, tothe protocol needed to access the other application types. It would alsobe concerned with interworking and charging as a result of thisinterconnection.

Referring next to FIG. 30, here is shown an additional overview of thesystem architecture of the present invention which includes a pluralityof application modules, 122-125, and a plurality of resource modules145-149. The application modules 122-125 contain the application'sspecific functionality, such as user services, traffic handling androuting. Since each traffic handling application module supports asimple call protocol, these modules are portable between differentmarkets. For example, an application module designed for a businessgroup in one country can be introduced into an exchange in any othermarket without the need for any additional design effort. Suchmodularity allows very fast introduction of existing applications intoadditional markets as they are needed. The resource modules 145-149provide the system common functions, such as call signallingdistribution between application modules, provided by transactionmanager 146, switch handling and coordination, provided by theconnection manager 145, and charging data collection and output,provided by the charging manager 147. In addition, the resource modules145-149 provide tools for common routines to aid in the design ofapplication modules. The nature of the resource modules 145-149 is suchthat they provide a good base for the design of network services alongwith the reduction of service interactions. The subscriber line entrance151, and trunk line entrance 152, form part of both the connectionmanager resource module 145 and transaction manager resource module 146,and provide the interfaces to the outside world as well as the hardwareand line supervision functions. They do not contain any applicationsspecific or traffic handling functions. This structure not only providesa base for reducing the complexity of the application modules and thecoordination of functionality between them, but also a good base for theintroduction of new system concepts within the software.

As also illustrated in FIG. 30, the system of the present inventionallows immediate reuse of existing application modules, such as anexisting PSTN application 122. For example, a present PSTN functionproviding software system such as the APT 210 08 used in the EricssonAXE exchanges, can be combined with new application modules 123 and 125.New system solutions have been thought of in the past to be problems offunction change, improved restart handling and the like; however, theintroduction of such new system solutions has commonly been rejected dueto the need to rewrite the majority of the existing software in thesystem in order to implement them. With the present applicationmodularity concept, new applications can have such facilities from theoutset without the need to change existing software. The introduction ofnew application modules is rendered much easier due to the split betweenthe pure software application modules and the hardware owning resourcemodules. This is due to the fact that it is most often the hardwareowning software that causes the greatest obstacles to the introductionof new system concepts.

As exemplified in FIG. 30, new application modules 123 and 125 canprovide entirely new solutions in functionality alongside existingsolutions such as the PSTN application module 122. This, in effect,means that new technologies can be introduced constantly without theneed to redesign previously designed application modules. For example, aversion of forlopp restart may be included within each of the newapplication modules 123 and 125 so that a fault detected within thesemodules that would normally require an entire system restart can beisolated to affect only the call or command to which it relates. If suchaction is not enough to clear the fault, then all the software withinthe one particular application module can be restarted and only if boththese actions failed would an entire system restart be required. Suchnew functionality can now be applied within each individual newapplication module and the affect of software faults on exchangeperformance will be greatly reduced. Similarly, new application modules,such as BG module 123 and ISDN module 125, can be designed in such a waythat there is no need to disturb any existing call, either while it isin speech or being set up, while making a function change. In general,at the time of function change, all calls that have already beeninitiated will be handled by the old application module software andsubsequent calls by the new application module software and, in effect,both application modules will be working in parallel for a short periodof time. In addition, as the hardware is separated from the software ofthe application modules, it is possible to detect if a device has beenleft hanging. Such devices can then be released automatically and theapplication software can be reset using forlopp restart principlesreferred to above.

Referring now to FIG. 31, there is shown a diagram illustrating themanner in which the transaction resource module 146 provides messagetransfer capability between respective ones of the service applicationmodules 122 and 123 and the access application modules 141 and 144. Thetransaction resource module 146 includes the necessary protocols 130 toenable different application modules to communicate with one another.

Referring to FIG. 32, the message transfer capability of the transactionresource module 146 is illustrated more specifically through its role ofproviding communication between a first application module 122 and asecond application module 123. One function of the transaction resourcemodule 146 is to hide the physical location and type of cooperatingapplication modules from one another. From either of the two applicationmodules 122 and 123, all messages are addressed employing a transactionreference 140 which is translated by the transaction resource module 146into the address of the cooperating application module for which thecommunication is intended. If the two cooperating application modules122 and 123 are located in separate exchanges, then theinter-application module messages are passed via trunk line entrances toa physical signalling channel connecting the two exchanges to oneanother. In either case, the message sequences and message handling isidentical whether the two application modules 122 and 123 are in thesame exchange or not. The transaction protocols preferably include atwo-layer structure. The lower layer is a generic session protocol thatsets up and clears down calls between application modules which is thenused to carry the upper layer or application protocol, which may beanalogous to the subsignalling (SS), telephone user part (TUP),integrated services user part (ISUP), or mobile application part (MAP)protocols. This means that the seizing of records, i.e., instancehandling, and basic call handling states can be separated from oneanother. In general, access application modules are designed to have aslittle functional influence on traffic handling as possible. Inprinciple, they are transparent and simply convert the external physicalsignalling interface into an internal and easier to manage form. They donot, however, take care of additional maintenance functions and the timerequired when physical interfaces are used.

Referring next to FIG. 33, there is shown a block diagram of a pluralityof service access application modules 121-126, and access applicationmodules 139-144, along with a plurality of resource application modules145-147 and 150. As illustrated, an existing PSTN application 122 couldbe readily combined with newly designed application modules such as thebusiness group module 123. Functionally speaking, the serviceapplication modules 121-126 provide certain functions uniquelyconfigured to their own individual applications for which they areprovided. For example, their functionality may include digit analysis,routing, and unique telecommunications services which are specificallyconfigured for the particular telecommunications application for whichthey are designed. Each of the access application modules 139-144provide access functionality within the system and includesfunctionality such as protocol analysis, hardware maintenance, and linemaintenance.

The resource modules illustrated in FIG. 33 include the connectionmanager 145, the transaction manager 146, a charging resource manager147, and an input/output (I/O) manager 150, as examples of resourcemodules. Each of these resource modules provide functions which arecommon to one or more application modules and which enable thoseapplication modules to provide telecommunication service in accordancewith the particular application for which they were designed. Forexample, the connection manager may provide connection coordination, andinterface with both the group switch and the subscriber switch, switchmaintenance functions, as well as multi-junctures (MJS), as well as keyreceivers/code receivers/code senders (KR/CR/CS). In addition, theconnection manager 145 provides access to announcement machines as wellas tone generators and internetworking units (IWUS). As discussed above,the transaction manager 146 provides interfaces between differentapplication modules and enables communication between them. The chargingmanager 147 provides services to the application modules connected withthe charging of calls in a manner related to common charging elements toeach of the application modules. In addition, the I/O manager 150facilitates input/output functions within both the resource modules andthe application modules. It should be understood that the resourcemodules may call upon the functionality contained within the serviceapplication modules to provide their own support functions. For example,an announcement machine resource module may provide its services bycalling out through a PSTN application module to reach the physicalannouncement machine hardware located in a different place from theexchange controlling that resource module. This may apply to otherresource modules and resources.

Referring now to FIG. 34, there is shown a block diagram illustratingthe manner in which the connection manager resource module 145 functionsto provide access to all switching functions within the system. That is,service application modules 122 and 123 and access modules 139 and 141and line entrances 148 interface through logical switch objects154a-154e within the connection coordination portion 155 of theconnection manager resource module 145. These logical switch objects arelocated within level three of the system architecture (FIG. 9) which inturn coordinate the connection with the actual switch hardware 156,including time switches (TS), group switches (GS), remote terminals (RT)and juncture terminals (JT). The switch hardware 156 comprises thestandard units now present within SPC telecommunication switches,including, for example, key set receivers (KR) 156a, code senders (CS)156b, code receivers (CR) 156c, digital multi-juncture (DMJ) 156d,announcement machines (ASAM) 156e and internetworking units (IWU) 156f,each of which is owned by the connection manager resource module 145,which interfaces with the line entrance hardware 153 and 154 incoordination with the access application modules 139 and 141 to providefunctional communication. As can be seen, in order to allow eachapplication module to control connections without the need to coordinatebetween themselves, each application module is given its own logicalswitch objects 145a-145e to control. In order to achieve a completeconnection in the real switch, these logical switch objects 154a-154eare linked together via their inlets and outlets to provide a picture ofthe complete speech path. From this picture, the real, i.e., physicalinlets and outlets can be located and these are then connected togetherusing the normal subscriber and group switch elements owned by theconnection manager resource module 145. Each logical switch object154a-154e is designed for a specific purpose and thus has a dedicatedinterface which means that operations on it are optimized. For mostcalls, only the access application modules will use logical switches forconnecting and disconnecting code receivers and senders. The serviceproviding application module only use simple connection objects thatperform no real function, but can be easily replaced by more complexconnection objects, for example, conferencing and monitoring if such isrequired.

Referring next to FIG. 35, there is shown a group of application modules122-125, together with a number of representative resource modules whichmay form one embodiment of the system of the present invention. Forexample, the connection manager resource module 145 and transactionmanager resource module 146 form part of the resource module array byproviding the essential functions of communication and connectionbetween and with the application modules 122-125. The subscriber lineentrance 151 and trunk line entrance 152 are associated with each of theconnection resource module 145 and transaction resource module 146. Inaddition, there is shown a charging manager resource module 147 whichperforms charging functions which are common to two or more of theapplication modules. An I/O manager resource module 150 providesinput/output functions while a statistics manager resource module 157provides traffic recording and other statistics measurement andmanagement functions. An application module function code manager 158provides function code management, while a forlopp manager 159 providesforlopp restart functions necessary within any of the applicationmodules or within the system as a whole if necessary. An operation andmaintenance manager 161 provides the traditional operation andmaintenance functions. A subscriber data manager 162 manages dataassociated with individual subscribers which are common to two or moreapplication modules, including a subscriber number manager 165 and asubscriber service manager 166. A time event manager 163 providesservices associated with the monitoring of certain time orientedfunctions within the system while a route manager 164 provides networkroute management functions. Manager 167 represents numerous otherfunctions, such as sending/receiving messages by employing particulartypes of signaling, load management, and output information management,which could be incorporated within resource modules as necessary toprovide the service functions to two or more application modules.

Referring now to FIG. 36, there is shown another aspect of the functionof the connection manager resource module 145 and its role within thesystem of the present invention. As indicated, each of the accessapplication modules 139 and 141 as well as the service applicationmodule 123 are given logical switch objects 154a-154e with which theydeal within the connection coordinator portion 155. One logical switchobject 154 associated with the access application module 139 may berelated to a digit receiver 160, for example. Each of the logical switchobjects 154a-154e within the connection coordination portion 155 of theconnection manager resource module 145 is associated with switchhardware. For example, time switches 156g and 156m are associated witheach of the respective LIC boards 153a and 154a which are in turnassociated with a group switch 156j through remote terminals 156h and156k. A key set receiver 156a may be associated with either of the timeswitches 156g and 156m. Thus, the logical switch objects viewed by eachof the application modules are related to switch hardware within theconnection manager resource module 145.

Referring now to FIG. 37, it is illustrated how existing APT applicationmodules, such as the existing PSTN application module 122, may be usedin the architecture of the present invention in cooperation with newservice application modules 123 without modification. One of thesignificant advantages of the application modularity concepts inherentin the system of the present invention is that of backward compatibilitywith existing telecommunications applications. That is, the existingPSTN application module 122 can be constructed from an existing PSTNsoftware module thereby reusing existing resources and investments andenabling existing systems to continue to function in an uninterruptedmanner while new functionality is being added. For example, the PSTNapplication module 122 can be constructed by adding to an existing PSTNsoftware module the network protocols required to enable communicationbetween it and other application modules along with the interfacesrequired to enable it to communicate with the resource modules whichprovide the common services necessary for it to provide PSTNcommunications. One way in which the interfaces required forcommunications with resource modules can be added to an existingsoftware package is by adding an emulator to the program to change theexisting interfaces to the hardware into the form required tocommunicate with the resource modules. Additional PSTN functionality canthen be added to the newly created PSTN application module as desired toenhance its abilities to provide PSTN services to subscribers. As shownin FIG. 37, the connection manager resource module 145 includes theconnection coordinator 155 which defines logical switch objects154c-154e for the new service application module 123 and the accessapplication module 141. The hardware units comprising the time switches156g and 156m and the group switch 156j interface with both the existingapplication module 123 as well as the "new" application modules 123 and141. To interface with the existing APT application module 122, theconnection coordinator 155 intercepts the group switch interface whichis used to control a logical switch object representing the groupswitch. This allows the other application module's logical switchobjects to interface the group switch object controlled by the existingAPT software. The time switch and remote terminal/juncture terminal ofthe subscriber switch and all the pool devices (KR, DMJ, ASM, ECT) arecontrolled by the existing APT as before, using the existing interfaces.This also allows the use of the analog subscriber stage (SS, AJ, BJ,etc.) without further modification and enables the integration ofexisting APT application module software within the architecture of thepresent invention without additional modifications.

Referring next to FIG. 38, there is shown an illustration of the way theexisting APT application modules 122 as well as the "new" applicationmodules 123 and 124 interface with the charging resource module 147. Asillustrated, the charging resource module 147 includes a chargingaccount record 171 in which charging information from each of theapplication modules 122-124 is received and account referenceinformation which is passed from one application module to the other.The charging account record 171 is coupled to other subsystems whichinclude a pulse generation subsystem 173, and a cost calculationsubsystem 174. Pulse meters 175 are linked with meter outputs 176, whiletoll ticketing format subsystems 177 are connected with a toll ticketingoutput 178. Thus, the charging resource module 147 provides thenecessary servicing functions to provide charging functionality to bothexisting APT application modules 122 via existing interfaces 179 as wellas new application modules 123 and 124 via new interfaces 181. Inoperation of the charging resource module 147, it contains functions fordata collection, formatting and output as well as meter pulsegeneration, meter storage and output. Charging analysis anddetermination of the information to be output is performed by theapplication modules 122-124 themselves. For each new chargeable event,an account record is seized within the application module by chargingaccount record subsystem 171. The account reference 172 to the accountrecord 171 can then be used by this and other application modules tostore data related to the charging of a particular call or event. Ifrequired, meter pulses can be generated in real time or calculated atthe end of the call based upon the charging information received fromthe application modules 122-124. At the end of a call, a costcalculation can be performed on either the number or meter pulses. Thiscan be used for output to a subscriber's charging account record asrequired.

Referring next to FIG. 39, there is shown a way in which varioustelecommunications services may be divided into respective applicationmodules in accordance with the functionality associated with thatparticular telecommunication service and thereafter, subdivided intoproducts and thence into software packages for distribution tocustomers. In FIG. 39, a plurality of communication services, such asPSTN 261, ISDN 262 and PLMN (mobile) 263 can be further subdivided intofunctional units. For example, with regard to requirements, the PSTN 261may include local PSTN 261a, transit PSTN 261b and international PSTN261c. Similarly, ISDN may be further subdivided into local ISDN 262a andinternational ISDN 262b. PLMN 263 may be further subdivided into basesite controller requirements 263a, mobile switching center requirements263b and GMSC 263c. Having defined the basic requirements intelecommunication services, it now remains to design the functionalityrequired for those services into a plurality of application modules 271.For example, each of the requirements of 261a-261c may be incorporatedinto a single PSTN application module 272, while a local ISDNrequirement 261A may be incorporated into either an ACC applicationmodule 273 or an N-ISDN application module 274. The international ISDNrequirement 262b is incorporated to an international ISDN applicationmodule 275. The requirement of a base site controller 262a and a mobileswitching center 263b are incorporated into a base site controllerapplication module 276 while certain other requirements are incorporatedinto an MUS application module 277. Similarly, both the MSC requirement263b and the GMSC requirement 263c can be incorporated to an MNSapplication module 278, as well as a home location register (HLR)application module 279. Each of the application modules 272-279 can thenbe organized into blocks 281 and then further subdivided as products282; which are, in turn, packaged in the form of individual softwareunits 283 for distribution to the customer.

As can be seen from the above description of the application modularityarchitecture of the present invention, the present system proposesnumerous advantages and features enabling the efficacious growth offuture communication services.

It is thus believed that the operation and construction of the presentinvention will be apparent from the foregoing description. While themethod, apparatus and system shown and described has been characterizedas being preferred, it will be obvious that various changes andmodification scan be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A telecommunications node for providingtelecommunications services within a telecommunications network,comprising:a plurality of application modules, one or more of saidmodules functioning as a logical telecommunications node to providetelecommunications services and to serve as a particular type ofdiscrete telecommunications node connected to said telecommunicationsnetwork; a plurality of resource modules, each of said resource modulesbeing associated with a particular one or more of said applicationmodules for providing hardware and software resource support forimplementing the telecommunications services of said logicaltelecommunications node; a communications protocol associated with eachof said application modules for communicating data between saidapplications modules, said communications protocol being compatible withstandardized communications protocols recognizable by said particulartype of discrete telecommunications node; and wherein a firstapplication module of said plurality of application modules isconfigured so that said first application module may communicate withanother application module using said communications protocol withoutregard as to whether said another application module is located withinsaid telecommunications node.
 2. The telecommunications node of claim 1wherein one of said plurality of application modules functions as alogical node within a Public Switched Telephone Network PSTN.
 3. Thetelecommunications node of claim 2 wherein said communications protocolcomprises integrated service user part ISUP based signals.
 4. Thetelecommunications node of claim 2 wherein said communications protocolcomprises Transaction Capable Application Part TCAP based signals. 5.The telecommunications node of claim 1 wherein said logical nodecomprises a local exchange.
 6. The telecommunications node of claim 1wherein one of said plurality of application modules functions as alogical node within a Public Land Mobile Network PLMN.
 7. Thetelecommunications node of claim 6 wherein said logical node comprises amobile switching center MSC.
 8. The telecommunications node of claim 6wherein said logical node comprises a home location register HLR.
 9. Thetelecommunications node of claim 6 wherein said communications protocolcomprises Mobile Application Part MAP based signals.
 10. A system forproviding a plurality of telecommunications services usually beingoffered by a plurality of different telecommunications nodes within asingle telecommunications node, comprising:a plurality of applicationmodules, each application module comprising all of the necessarysoftware applications for providing one or more of saidtelecommunications services and thereby serving as a particular type oflogical telecommunications node; a plurality of hardware and softwareresources accessible by said application modules for implementing saidplurality of telecommunications services; a plurality of resourcemodules, each providing an interface between each of said plurality ofapplication modules and one or more of said plurality of hardware andsoftware resources necessary for implementing said telecommunicationsservices associated with each of said application modules; acommunication link accessible to said application modules, saidcommunication link utilizing one or more of said plurality of resourcemodules to communicate data between said application modules and capableof transporting data formatted in accordance with standardtelecommunications signal protocols recognizable by said logicaltelecommunications nodes; and wherein said plurality of applicationmodules are configured so that communications using at least one of saidstandard telecommunications signal protocols between two applicationmodules may be completed without regard for whether said two applicationmodules are both located within said telecommunications node.
 11. Thesystem of claim 10 wherein said particular type of logicaltelecommunications node comprises a wireline telecommunications exchangewithin a Public Switched Telephone Network PSTN and wherein anindividual application module provides telecommunications serviceassociated with said wireline telecommunications exchange.
 12. Thesystem of claim 11 wherein said communication link is capable oftransporting Integrated Service User Part ISUP based signals betweensaid application modules.
 13. The system of claim 10 wherein saidparticular type of logical telecommunications node comprises a mobileswitching center MSC within a Public Land Mobile Network PLMN andwherein an associated individual application module providestelecommunications service associated with said MSC.
 14. The system ofclaim 13 wherein said communication link is capable of transportingMobile Application Part MAP based signals between said applicationmodules.
 15. The system of claim 14 wherein a particular resource moduleassociated with said associated individual application module interfaceswith a base station controller for providing mobile service.
 16. Thesystem of claim 10 wherein said particular type of logicaltelecommunications node comprises an Integrated Service Digital NetworkISDN switch within an ISDN telecommunications network and wherein anassociated individual application module provides telecommunicationsservice associated with said ISDN switch.
 17. The system of claim 16wherein a particular resource module associated with said associatedindividual application module interfaces with ISDN channels forcommunicating ISDN data.
 18. A method for controlling a stored programcontrolled telecommunications switching exchange to provide service to aplurality of users having diverse communications applications amongthem, said method comprising:storing within the software of saidexchange a plurality of application modules, each application modulecontaining the control instructions and associated with data forproviding communication services of a particular application type andeach module being capable of acting as a telecommunication node within atelecommunications network; storing within the software of said exchangea plurality of resource modules, each resource module being capable ofcommunicating with each of said application modules and having access toand control over the relevant hardware components of the exchangenecessary for performing the specific functional actions required toimplement its assigned service elements; providing communicationsbetween nodes comprising each of said application modules and each otherapplication module and each resource module to enable thetelecommunications services of each application module to be provided tosaid users without use of the control instructions or data of any otherapplication module; and wherein said plurality of application modulesare configured so that any one of said plurality of application modulesmay be altered without modifying any other one of said plurality ofapplication modules.
 19. The method of controlling a stored programcontrolled telecommunications switching exchange to provide service to aplurality of users having diverse communications applications among themas set forth in claim 18 in which said communications providing stepsincludes:providing a first protocol for the transfer of informationbetween application modules located within the same exchange; andproviding a second protocol for the transfer of information betweenapplication modules located in different exchanges, said second protocolbeing capable of identifying specific physical circuit connections. 20.The method for controlling a stored program controlledtelecommunications switching exchange to provide service to a pluralityof users having diverse communications applications among them as setforth in claim 18 in which each application module acts as a virtualswitch within a network.
 21. A telecommunications exchange for providinga plurality of telecommunications services to telecommunications users,comprising:a first group of application modules stored within thesoftware of said telecommunications exchange for functioning as a firstlogical telecommunications node and for providing telecommunicationsservices associated with said first logical telecommunications node; asecond group of application modules stored within the software of saidtelecommunications exchange for functioning as a second logicaltelecommunications node and for providing telecommunications serviceassociated with said second logical telecommunications node; a pluralityof resource modules, each of said resource modules being associated witha particular one or more of the application modules of said first andsecond group of application modules for providing hardware and softwareresource support for implementing the telecommunications servicesassociated with said first and second logical telecommunications nodes;a communications protocol for communicating data between said firstgroup of application modules and said second group of applicationmodules wherein said data are formatted and transported in accordancewith at least one standard telecommunications signal protocolrecognizable by said first and second logical telecommunications nodes;and wherein said first and second group of application modules areconfigured so that said first group of application modules may bealtered without modifying said second group of application modules. 22.The telecommunications exchange of claim 21 wherein said first logicaltelecommunications node represented by said first group of applicationmodules comprises a wireline local exchange within a Public SwitchedTelephone Network PSTN.
 23. The telecommunications exchange of claim 22wherein said data are formatted in accordance with a TransactionCapability Application Part TCAP protocol.
 24. The telecommunicationsexchange of claim 21 wherein said second logical telecommunications noderepresented by said second group of application modules comprises awireless telecommunications node within a Public Land Mobile NetworkPLMN.
 25. The telecommunications exchange of claim 24 wherein said dataare formatted in accordance with a Mobile Application Part MAP protocol.